History Repeating
by natismo
Summary: INCOMPLETE...REALLY OLD i mean oolld AND DODGY... you have been warned...btvsXover When Dawn is kidnapped and send to Quartoth, how will she find her way home? By poking herself in the eye of course! DC some BS and AC
1. Prologue:Decisions

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in the story Joss does.. damn him!

~~Prologue:

A lone figure trudged through the Sunnydale cemetery, an axe in one hand, a stake in the other. It stumbled 

over a broken head stone and landed in a sitting position on the wet grass.

Dawn sighed. "Great. Now not only am I stuck patrolling the graveyard on a Saturday night, my ass is 

wet."

She fell back onto the grass and lay there looking up at the night sky.

"This sucks. I should go home, or maybe down to a club or something… after all, everyone knows that 

stupid demon's lair is on the other side of town. They only sent me here to keep me out of trouble."

Dawn sighed again. All she wanted to do was actually help fight the bad guys! Researching got old really 

quick.

Eventually she made herself get up, her back now drenched from the dew.

Just went she was getting started on another rant to herself she head something behind her.

Dawn tried not to appear tense as she listened for footsteps. Sure enough she heard a twig break right 

behind her. _ Oh my god! How did it creep up so much on me!?!?_

She took a breath then spun and stabbed with her stake at the same time. The Vampire behind her let out a 

surprised hiss then did the poofy trick.

"Moron!!.. Bloody vampire's… you'd think they'd learn! I _am_ the slayer's sister after all.. oh _that's right_

the way she protects me, they probably all think I'm a complete pussy or something! ARG!!"

"That's it… I've made up my mind. Nothings holding me here anymore, Im finished school. I have no 

friends because this is what I spend my weekends doing." Dawn kicked up the vamp-dust with a booted 

foot .

She turned on her heel and started marching through the grave stones._ I'm gonna go live somewhere else.. _

ind a job, start my own _life… as far away from here as possible!_


	2. Ch 1: leaving arriving

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these charcters.

thinking

****

*stressed*

Chapter one

Buffy yawned as she and spike walked into the kitchen at 4 am on Sunday morning. "That demon was 

soooo annoying!! It would NOT stay still long enough for me to kill it!!"

Spike smiled indulgently, 'yes luv…*_that's* _why it kept escaping… had nothing to do with the fact that 

you kept dragging me off into dark corners and…."

"HEY! YOU did the dragging!! Not me!!"

The blonde vampire scoffed and reached into the fridge for some blood, 'sure, luv.'

Buffy snatched the blood out of his hand, "excuse me?? Are you implying it was _my_ fault we were up all 

night??"

Spike smirked and lent in close, his lips so close to her's she could almost feel them, "Isn't it always?"

She raised an eyebrow, but her witty comeback was silenced by Spike's kiss.

******

Dawn walked into the kitchen, sighted her sister and spike kissing up against the table and made a retching 

noise.

They pulled apart (a bit) and Buffy smiled warmly, 'how's my favorite little sister then? You go okay in the 

graveyard?'

Dawn rolled her eyes, 'yeah, it was sooo dangerous, what with it being, as you both know, the only place in 

this town with no demons.'

Spike looked up at dawn, 'OoOoOoohhh niblet cranky then? Early nap time tonight ey?"

Dawn's left eye began to twitch.

Buffy nodded, "Actually dawnie, I think you do need an early night, I've noticed you've been tired lately, 

and I don't want you getting sick or anything."

Dawn's right eye began twitching.

"bit? You okay? Your eyes've gone all twitchy…"

"yes Dawnie, off too bed you go, what are you doing awake at this time of night anyway?"

Dawn sighed, "no buffy, I'm not going back too bed. I'll be 18 soon, I've finished school, and I'm catching 

a bus in an hour so I got up to say good bye."

*******

Buffy's eyes widened, "WHAT?!?!?!"

Spike chuckled, "nice one niblet, now, off to bed."

Dawn didn't move. "No. I'm catching a bus. I'm moving out Buffy."

"What!?!? You are not moving anywhere!! Now go upstairs and go to bed!"

Spike meanwhile had noticed the serious expression on Dawn's face. _I don't believe it.. niblet is _

practically grown up… she's not 14 anymore…

He came back to reality just as Buffy grabbed a hold of Dawn's arm and tried to drag her upstairs.

"Wait, Buffy.." She paused and they both looked back at Spike, "I think we should let her go Buffy."

Buffy dropped her hold on dawn and looked down at her lover in total shock, "WHAT!??!?!?" 

Beside her Dawn smiled.

****** 

Dawn was humming happily to herself as she got off the bus in L.A. Buffy had finally agreed to let her 

move out, sure she had to go live with angel and co, but she was sure that she'd be able to move out on her 

own pretty quickly.

__

Heh heh…

She blinked in the bright light and looked around. Sure enough there was Cordelia with two people who 

Dawn vaguely remembered from the last time she visited, _fred and gunn? Yeah, I think that's it…_

"Dawnie!!! I cant believe you're gonna live with us!!!"

Cordy pulled Dawn into a hug and started babbling about shopping and manicures while Fred and Gunn 

watched smiling.

Note: the following chapters will probably be longer.


	3. Ch 2: introductions

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these charcters.

Chapter 2:

They showed Dawn into a room on the fifth floor, with her own bathroom, living room and even a little 

kitchen thingy. "Oh my god! This is sooo cool!! You guys rock!!"

Cordy beamed, "Oh that's okay Dawnie! We're just so happy to have you here!"

"So, where's Angel? I wanna say hey."

Fred answered, "Oh, he's downstairs in the training room, Gunn just went to find him."

"Oh cool, I might to find him once I've unpacked."

After Cordy and Fred had left Dawn alone she did unpack, or at least, she poked her suitcases a few times, 

then she lost interest and when to find angel.

******

The Hotel was exactly as Dawn remembered it, apart from one detail… She was exploring the basement 

when she saw him… _oh.my.god…who is that!??!?!!? _He was tall and gorgeous, and half naked!!

The stranger was wearing only a pair of loose pants and.. was sparring with Angel? Across the room Gunn 

watched and yelled things out. 

Dawn didn't really notice this however, she was too busy staring at the guy, who looked about her age, and 

was exactly the same height as angel, but much thinner.. but in a really hot lean sort of way. Dawn felt her 

heart beat increase, her face grew hot and she suddenly had and urge to go and throw her arms around the 

boy in front of her.

__

Who is he!?!? He's soooo hot!

Suddenly the cute boy's eyes flicked towards dawn's. They were blue eyes Dawn stared back into them 

unable to look away, her heart thumping in her chest and a dizzy feeling spreading out over her body… 

then the cute boy hit the ground Angel looming above him.

"Ha! I win!" He smiled and helped the boy up, then turned and looked at Dawn, "hey dawnie! Come over 

here, I want you to meet someone."

Dawn gulped and walked unsteadily over towards them, she glanced up and her brown eyes met those deep 

blue ones again and she suddenly stumbled. The boy quickly reached over and grabbed her around the 

waist steadying her.

His hand felt hot against her and his breath was warm upon her neck. She looked up towards him, planning 

to thank him and try to not look like an idiot, but when she did she realised his face was only millimeters 

away from her own, so close she could feel the warmth of his body on her skin. And then she met those 

eyes again and her breath stuck in her throat. They were a bright brilliant blue and rimmed in a darker 

shade. The seconds seemed like hours and dawn was very aware of how close they were, of how her body 

was pressed against the warmth of him.

****** 

Connor had sensed her presence in the doorway when he was fighting his father, and even then he'd felt 

something .. different.. something ..*_warm*_ about her. When he'd glanced up at her, he'd felt his breath 

choke. She was beautiful. Her hair was long and brown, framing a delicate face on a tall slender body. Her 

clothes where tight and showed every curve of her figure and connor felt an odd jolt in his groin, and then 

she'd looked at him with her wide brown eyes and he'd felt his whole body shudder as an almost physical 

force passed between them. Then he'd been lying on the floor, his father triumphant above him.

And now, now she was so close to him, the curve of her butt pressed against his hip and her neck was 

almost against his lips. He found himself fighting an urge to kiss that smooth warm skin.. and maybe bite it 

ever so softly between his teeth..

Then she'd turned her head towards him and Conner had forgotten 

everything he was thinking about.. forgot his own name and found his entire body yelling against his will. 

He wanted to touch her… her lips were red and puffy and he longed to press his own against them, to know 

what they felt like. Then she'd met his gaze again and Connor had felt his will slip even more as her deep 

brown eyes bore into his own, seeming to know his every though, and perhaps, share them.

Angel coughed quietly and Dawn and Connor moved apart as if they'd been shocked, their faces glowing 

red. He looked from one to the other with a raised eyebrow, "Have you two already meet or something?"

Neither responded.

"Oookaayy.. Well, Dawn, Connor. Connor Dawn…."

They both glanced up avoiding looking actually at each other though and muttered vague greetings.

Gunn sniggered, "why don't you two go and… hmm.. get to know one another while Angel and I have a 

serious talk." He nudged Connor and shoved him towards Dawn.

Angel sighed, "Come off it Gunn." He looked up at the silent teenagers before him, "Why don't you two 

go.. play one of those ploy-station thingy games or something? Connor has all that type of.. stuff.. in his 

room."

When neither replied he rolled his eyes and pushed them out the door towards the stairs, shutting the door.

******


	4. Ch 3: stairway conversations

Chapter 3:

Warning: lemonish in this chap.

Dawn felt her face glowing crimson. _Oh. My. God..shame! what just happened??? He was so close.. _

pressed up against me and his eyes, oh god..

Connor glanced up and the girl in front of him. He felt normal again, even if just looking at her did bring 

back memories of his urges of a minute earlier. _What's wrong with me!?_

Dawn turned and headed up the stairs, her heart still hammering against her chest. She could feel him 

behind her and it distracted her. She went to open the door at the top of the stairs and her fingers fumbled, 

unable to grip the smooth metal, then he'd leant over and around her, his hair brushing past her cheek and 

placed his hand over her own.

The moment his skin met hers she gasped as a tingling shot up her arm. He paused, his hand covering hers, 

then his fingers entwined with her own and he suddenly spun her around, the door still shut behind them.

Dawn swallowed and concentrated on not looking up at him, knowing what would happen if she did, and 

tried to ignore the fact that he still held her hand within his own. She felt the dizzy feeling returning and 

tried to back away from him, but instead found herself pressed up against a wall. He stepped closer, his 

fingers caressing hers, she quickly glanced up but found her eyes locked onto his again. 

She could hear a humming in her ears and it suddenly seemed much more difficult to breathe. With 

supreme effort she looked away from those blue eyes, but instead found her self thinking about the way 

their hips were pressed together, and how her breasts were crushed against his chest.

_No dawn! Be good!! Think good thoughts..Yes! Good thoughts!! _

His lips… they were so close… 

__

what would they feel like pressed against mine? Like his chest is pressed 

against mine, and his.. oh god…the way he's_ pressed against me.._

She shook her head slightly ignoring 

the fact that his arousal pressed against her was actually turning her on.

Suddenly he moved against her pressing her hard up against the wall, his erection pushing into her. She 

gasped and dimly felt her free arm wrap around his neck pulling him even closer. She heard him groan into 

her neck and then his lips where pressed against her, his tongue slipping out and tasting her. Dawn 

squirmed beneath him unintentionally rubbing herself against him again. He groaned and grabbed at her 

hips slipping his hands under the waist of her pants and around the curve of her butt.

Dawn was only half aware of her soft pleading moans as he pressed against her again, his lips slowly 

making a trail up her neck towards her mouth. _Oh god.. what am I doing.. I don't even know this guy! _

And he's Angels son!..

It took every fiber of her will to pull her hands away from him and push him off her slightly.

He looked down at her, a dazed expression in his eyes. "I'm sorry.. but.. I don't even know you!"

He shrugged and pushed up against her again, "So?"

She strangled a groan as he rubbed against her again and tried to focus her thoughts, _Oh god… I want him _

so much!.. but I don't even know him!! 

"Connor!", she shoved him away more forcefully, "Hey! I'm not some slut okay!? Get away from me!"

He flinched and pulled away from her, a hurt confused expression in his eyes.

"I only just met you!"

He had moved away completely from her now. Dawn noticed how cold she felt now he wasn't holding her. 

He looked down at himself in apparent disgust, "I'm sorry.. I don't know what I was thinking…"

Connor looked briefly into her eyes then disappeared up the stairs.

******

Connor wasn't at dinner that night and Cordy and Angel were worried, despite claiming he could look after 

himself and was probably back at the old warehouse he used to live.

Dawn couldn't bring herself to look anyone in the eye. She knew why he'd disappeared. He was ashamed 

and embarrassed, just like she was.

She tried to seem concerned, but not too concerned, and excused herself early.

__

What have I done? I didn't mean to hurt anyone.. I just.. lost my mind… and he felt so right, the way he 

held me..

She shuddered at the memory off what had happened.

__

I need a shower, then I need some sleep. He'll be back, I mean, it's not my fault really, they can't blame 

me just cause I wouldn't sleep with him!

******

Connor couldn't believe what had just happened to him. It was like he'd been possessed.. by some demon.. 

by some really horny person… and what he'd been doing to that girl.. to Dawn.. he felt his face burn with 

shame as he remembered. The way he'd touched her. _ Oh god. She must hate me!_

He looked out of the window of his old room towards the hotel. _I can't go back. I just can't._

He stood and flopped down onto the dusty bed. _I can't go back._

Even though every time I close me eyes all I see is her face.

Even though I feel as though I'm missing part of my soul.

******


	5. Ch 4: embarrassment

Chapter 4:

Dawn slept badly that night, and woke up drenched in a sweat. Her bedroom seemed dark and sinister in 

the early morning light. _What was I dreaming about?.._ An image of Connor's face flashed up in her 

mind and she blushed. _I was dreaming about Connor?.. I wonder if he's back.._

Dawn couldn't remember what exactly she had dreamt, but she knew she was suddenly longing to see 

Connor.

She quickly dressed and headed downstairs.

"Hi guys!"

Angel and co were in the midst of conversation in the kitchen and looked up at Dawn hopefully.

Angel smiled, "Morning dawn."

Cordy passed her a plate of pancakes and kissed her on the cheek, "Morning dawnie!"

Dawn sat down and started drowning her pancakes in maple syrup. Eventually she noticed that everyone 

was staring at her. "Um, guys? Is there like, toothpaste on my face or something?"

Angel put down his 'coffee' and looked earnestly at Dawn, "dawn, I've spoken to everyone, and I think 

you were the last person to see Connor. We were hoping he might have told you something?"

The mouthful of pancake suddenly felt dry and stuck in Dawn's throat. "Oh. I barely even spoke to him." 

She shrugged, "He certainly didn't say anything deep and meaningful to me, sorry."

Angel sighed, "Oh well. You want to come with us looking for him today?"

__

Do I?… should I go?

"Um, sure, I'd love to help."

******

The gang had spent the morning fanned out over Connor's usual hiding places. 

When they searched the old warehouse were he used to live, Angel looked slightly relieved, "He spent the 

night here."

Cordy squeezed his arm, "Well that's good then. We know he isn't some demon's prisoner or something. 

He probably just.. erm.. wanted to be alone or something."

Angel nodded, "Yeah. I don't think he's in any danger exactly.. but.. still.. something is wrong. I just hope 

he comes home soon."

Dawn took one last look around the room, with it's broken windows and dusty bed, she could feel him.. he 

was nearby. She could feel that odd warm feeling spreading through her body, _he must be here, or else I _

wouldn't have this feeling.. She took a deep breath, shook her head, then followed the others outside.

******

Connor watched from the roof tops as his family turned to leave. His eyes locked on Dawn.

Why did she come? She must hate me..She's probably glad I'm not around.. after what I did.. the way I practically 

jumped her in a stairwell! A girl I only just met..

He sighed but found himself longing to touch her as he watched her look around his old room. Her long 

silky hair was pulled back today, leaving just two strands to frame her face. She was wearing a pair of tight 

pants and a fitted t-shirt, but even in clothes as ordinary as those she looked completely beautiful. Her 

every movement and gesture called out to Connor. He found that mindless dizzy feeling returning and had 

to turn away to control himself. He was horrified at the way she made him feel. _How can one person make _

me lose my mind just by looking at me?!

******

That night Dawn lay awake for a long time. Every time she closed her eyes Connor's face appeared before 

her. _ Why do I keep thinking about him!! I don't even know him for god's sake!_

"Ahh! I'm such a moron!"

She sat up in her bed, punched her pillow a few times then lay down again. _I will not think about _

Connor.. I will not think about Connor…

******

Dawn sat up and looked around herself. She was out in the street. _Where am I?_

She looked up at the buildings around her, hoping to recognise something.

Then she saw it, the warehouse.

__

Oh god. Why am I here?

Her nightie flapped around her legs in the cold night breeze and she shivered. "connor."

She couldn't control her own feet and she found herself walking across the street and through the broken 

door of the warehouse. Up the stairs, down the hall, she knew where she was going.

There was no light coming from his room, no sign of life, but she could tell that he was there.

She walked in. 

He was asleep on the bed.

She walked over and stood above him.

__

He's so gorgeous.. She reached out a hand and ran it along the line of his jaw. His eyes flew open and 

his hand shot up and caught hers. _He looks so surprised.. _

His eyes locked onto hers and she shuddered. 

"dawn.."

He tried to say something else but he was slowly disappearing and Dawn found herself in darkness. 

__

Huh? 

She looked around and found herself to be looking up at her ceiling. 

__

Oh. It was a dream.. but he seemed so real.. 

She tried to tell herself that it was just a weird dream, but couldn't shake the memory of how his face had 

been warm against her hand, she tried to tell herself she wasn't disappointed that she'd woken up.

******

Connor looked up at where Dawn had been standing. He was certain that she'd been there. Her hand 

against his face, her eyes looking down into his own.

__

It can't have been a dream..

******


	6. Ch 5: shopping

Chapter 5:

Dawn passed the next day in a daze. She and Cordy had gone shopping and she now had half a dozen new 

shoes in her wardrobe. Not to mention the new clothes Cordy was currently making her remodel in what 

she called 'real lighting, not that weird lighting they have in malls'.

"God damn Cordy! You are a shopping machine!.. poor Angel.."

Cordy looked up, "Hey! You'd be surprised what money we save on things like food! Not to mention all 

those weird artifacts Angel has… did you know he has stuff in museums? Just junk he's hoarded through 

the ages, and they _pay _him to show the stuff?! Things like old beer cups!"

"beer cups? Angel hoarded beer cups?"

"Okay.. not 'beer cups'.. but stuff like that.. utterly mundane.."

"sure Cordy.. 'beer cups'…"

******

That night Dawn went to sleep hoping that she'd dream about Connor again.

******

Connor decided it would be best if he didn't sleep, that way if Dawn really was coming into his room in 

real life he'd know.

He waited for hours, lying with one eye opened at his door. It was 4am and he was mentally calling himself 

a moron when she appeared.

He felt his breath catch in his throat,_ dawn is in my room… how did she get here!?_

She walked dreamily across to wear he lay and Connor didn't dare move in case she disappeared again. She 

stopped directly next to him, and all Connor could see was the white of her cotton slip. Then her hand 

reached out and caressed his face, her fingers running through his hair. Connor could hear her breathing 

softly above him.

"Connor…"

__

She said my name!

He rolled over slowly so he was looking up at her, not daring to speak in case she disappeared. Her eyes 

widened slightly but she remained solid. Her hand pulled away from him, hesitated. Confusion flitted 

across her face._ Please, don't let her vanish…_

Slowly her hand reached out and cupped the side of his face again. Her fingertips ran slowly over his brow, 

along the line of his nose and then settled softly over his lips, before skimming away again. 

Connor shut his eyes.

Her fingers were sending sparks through his skin, he knew if he looked up he'd see her wide brown 

eyes.. and.. he'd kiss her, and she'd vanish. He felt her other hand against his throat. He fought a nervous 

urge to swallow. Her finger traced up along his throat over his chin and up against his lips again. He longed 

for her to kiss him. The fingers slipped sway again, he sighed. Then to his surprise he felt her lips brush 

against his own. He opened his eyes in shocked disbelief, but sure enough Dawn was sitting on his bed, 

leaning over him, kissing him. Her lips were warm and soft against his own, and he felt as though if she 

were to stop he'd die. When she did break of the kiss he simply looked into her eyes for a few seconds that 

dragged into hours, or so it seemed. She smiled softly at him.

He opened his mouth, "Dawn."

She frowned for a moment then faded into nothingness.

"Shit!"

__

When ever I try to say anything she vanishes..

******

Dawn woke up with a smile on her face. _I kissed him.. oh that was the best dream I've ever had! But when _

he said my name, it ended again… maybe there's some reason for that? Some.. Freudian name theroy?.. 

no.. that's just lame Dawn.

******


	7. Ch 6: dream?

Chapter 6:

That day Connor felt exhausted, he had after all only slept an hour last night._ Oh well. I have nothing _

better to do, I might as well catch up on some sleep. He yawned and threw himself on his bed, causing a 

puff of dust to emerge.

******

"What's up with dawn?" Fred looked over at the sleeping girl on the couch.

Lorne smiled, "Oh, she's just tired."

Fred shrugged and left Lorne to keep an eye on the sleeping girl, "Okay then.."

******

Connor felt her warm form lying next to his almost as soon as he closed his eyes. _Dawn.._ he hadn't been 

expecting her, it being the middle of the day and all.

He opened his eyes and looked over at her. She smiled and matched his gaze.

Connor slowly moved towards her feeling her warm breath against his cheek, then brought his lips against 

her own. She moaned softly and kissed him back. He brought a hand up cupping her cheek and pulling her 

closer to him. As their kisses deepened she pulled herself right up flush against him, her legs entwining 

with his own. Connor wrapped his arms around her and rolled back, bringing her on top of him. Unfazed by 

their increased intimacy, she continued kissing him passionately.

She slipped one hand down and under his shirt, her fingers skimming the muscles of his chest. Connor 

could feel himself getting harder and the heat were their mouths met urged him on. His hands slipped down 

her back and settled her around him so that she straddled his hips. Then his hands slipped up under her 

shirt rubbing the smooth flesh of her stomach until he found a breast. She moaned into his kisses as he 

found a nipple and rubbed it slowly between his thumb and forefinger. After a few minutes she sat up 

suddenly, pulling her lips away from his. Connor looked up, worried that she'd disappear. But instead she 

pulled off her shirt.

He couldn't believe she was real, Dawn was sitting above him, her skin flushed and hair messed up. He 

could feel the dull ache of his desire for her. She leant down on him again and kissed him, her tongue 

pushing against his own. Connor couldn't take it anymore. He had to have her. Now.

He reached down and started undoing her pants. She waited till he was done then got off him for a moment 

so she could kick them off, then she ripped open his fly her fingers pulling him free of the material.

Connor gasped at the sensation of her fingers wrapped against his arousal, he looked up at her wide eyed, 

amazed at her sudden change in attitude.

She climbed back onto him kissing him again. Connor slid his hands down her back till her felt her bare ass 

and pulled her down onto him. She gasped and let him guide her down onto him, moaning as he filled her. 

Connor groaned as he felt her tightness, then her barrier. He looked up at her, his eyes meeting hers and as 

though she had read his mind she pushed herself down onto him, pulling him right into her. Connor let out 

a strangled yell as he felt the full extent of her, then she fell forwards onto him, moaning softly in his ear. A 

moment later she began to move against him, their hips rubbing together as she rode him.

She groaned and gasped at the sensations, biting and scratching at his neck, grinding herself against him. 

Beneath her Connor panted and lifted his hips to meet her movements, the feel of her teeth against his skin 

adding to his excitement.

Suddenly she cried out and Connor felt her tightening around him. He gasped and pulled her down towards 

him, his lips finding hers as he filled her with his seed.

******

Lorne glanced up at the couch where dawn was sleeping, and found it empty. He started walking down the 

hall, "Dawnie?"

******

Dawn clung to Connor. Hoping this dream would go on for ever, the feel of his body against hers, the heat 

of him inside her. He kissed her softly and looked into her eyes, the extent of what had just happened 

showing in his expression. "dawn I.."

But his words were cut of as he faded to black and Dawn found herself dressed only in her bra on the couch 

she'd been asleep on.

She pulled her pants on and shoved her shirt over her head then looked around.

Lorne wasn't in the room anymore. _THANK GOD!!_

I can't believe it.. I must have down that to myself while I was having that wet dream about Connnor. Oh 

my god. Damn my teenage hormones.

Lorne returned and looked at her in surprise. Taking in her messed hair, flushed face and swollen lips.

He raised an eyebrow, "please Dawnie. I do NOT want to know what you have been doing.."

She laughed nervously, "training!"

He shrugged. "sure."

******


	8. Ch 7: returns

Chapter 7:

A week had passed with no sign of Connor when Angel came up to Dawn's room.

"Do you have any idea why Connor might have left?"

Dawn shifted in her chair, Thinking of her wet dreams. "No, not really.. I mean I just met the guy! How am 

I supposed to know the inner most workings of his mind!?"

Angel's eyebrows raised, "Dawn, I just thought.. I mean, you were the last person to see him. He didn't 

mention , say, going to fight some demon or something ?"

Dawn shook her head, "No."

Angel sighed, "Did he say he was going anywhere?"

Dawn shook her head again, "No! I would have told you if he told me anything!!"

"Okay! Okay. I'm sorry Dawn." He looked up into her eyes, reminding her briefly of the way Connor had 

looked at her a week before, the way he looked into her eyes every night when she was dreaming.. _How can _

I tell him!? There's no way! 

"I just have to know what's happened to him Dawn, I have this horrible feeling, I feel it in my heart. He's 

hurt. Someone has hurt my son. I want to find him, please Dawn, what do you know?"

Dawn felt tears prick her eyes. _I'm the one who hurt your son Angel! I'm so sorry. He's run away from me. _

Not some demon…and now I can't stop dreaming about him..

Angel looked a bit shocked, "I'm sorry Dawn. I didn't mean to upset you.." _It's just I can tell there's _

something you're not telling me.

Dawn tried to still her tears. Even though she hardly knew Connor. She missed him. It was like when their 

eyes had met for the first time something had happened and he was a part of her. 

"I'm sorry Angel, but he didn't tell me anything. We barely had a conversation. I don't know why he left."

__

That at least is the truth.. sort of.

Angel sighed, "I believe you Dawn.. But if you remember anything he might have..said.. tell me, alright?"

Dawn nodded mutely and watched as the vampire left.

She stood and walked through to her bedroom. The balcony beckoned to her. She walked out onto it and 

looked out over the city, "Connor… ? are you real…?"

She felt the tears again _Why am I crying I hardly know him..just cause I kept dreaming about him doesn't _

mean I'm in love with him or anything..

******

Connor looked up at the balcony of the hotel he knew was her room. _Dawn, I want to see you…I want to _

make sure what's been happening between us isn't just my imagination..To his surprise she walked outside, 

as if drawn by his thoughts. 

She stared out into the city, tears glistening on her lashes. "Connor… are you real…?" _She said my name… _

Dawn said my name...

Then she was gone, her window shut. "I am real Dawn"

Connor stared up at the empty pane of glass that had held her face.

Dawn…

__

******

Cordy was worried about Connor, and when Angel got back from talking to Dawn, she knew he hadn't 

heard anything knew.

"dawnie didn't know anything?"

Angel sat down on the bed next to her and held his head in his hands. "Oh, she knows something, I don't 

know what it is though. She doesn't know where he is, but I think she knows something about why he 

left.."

Cordy frowned, "Angel, I just can't think of anything that could have happened to drive him away.. And I 

certainly can't think how Dawn could be involved.."

"Cordy, something happened. I know that he's hurting, I can feel it."

"And you think Dawn has something to do with him being hurt?….oh!" She looked at him in dawning 

comprehension, "You think something happened _between_ them!…"

Angel lay back and looked at the ceiling, then drew Cordy to his side and kissed the top of her head. 

She snuggled up to him. "I just can't see that happening Angel."

He turned towards her, "You didn't see what happened when I introduced them."

"Oh?"

"It was odd. It was like they knew each other or something…I thought Dawn was gonna pass out.. she 

tripped over and fell on him…it was.. they were both acting really weird and wouldn't even speak."

"Oh Angel! They're teenagers! They were probably embarrassed!Think about it, dawn: shamed out cause 

she acted like a total klutz in front of a cute boy she doesn't know who happens to be her sister's ex-

boyfriend's son. Connor: shammed out cause he's shy and a pretty girl, who happens to be his dad's ex-

girlfriend's sister, tripped on to him. That's why they were acting weird, nothing out of the ordinary, just 

awkward teenagers!"

"Yeah, I suppose, still… I might go speak to her again in the morning."

"oh god angel!" Cordy whacked him with a pillow, "If you must traumatize the poor girl, I'm coming!"

******

Dawn yawned and pulled on her nightie. It was a plain cotton slip that came to her knees, not a lacy granny 

one or anything though. She just liked it cause those silk ones were gross and sweaty to sleep in.

She was too depressed and tired to go through her nightly beauty/skin cleaning ritual though, and collapsed 

onto the bed, her thoughts turning instantly to Connor.

She lay awake for a few minutes, sobbing quietly too herself, and muttering about how pathetic she was, 

then she was asleep.

******

(I screwed up a bit of the formatting in the middle…sorry… to stupid to fix it..)

**(also, thanks for taking the time to review! J I hadn't forgotten wesley.. suuurreeee….hee hee… and 

yes, it is set a bit in the future I guess… but buffy/angel time is confusing as hell anyway.. some seasons no one 

actually gets any older and we'll just assume dawn isn't a complete skitz..)


	9. Ch 8: real?

*

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thank you for the reviews people!.. you have some interesting (and rather obvious) suggestions, which of 

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course I hadn't even thought of….*ahem* I mean.. suurreee I had…*shifty eyes*.. 

*******

it's a pity I don't have anyone to make suggestions ~before~ I post the chapters.. oh well…

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yes, anyway! thanks and I shall try and figure those probs out in the next chapters

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Chapter 8:

Connor crept into the hotel and made his way up to Dawn's room silently. 

Even though he knew that his father would be able to sense him if he was awake. No one was up however, 

and he made it all the way to the fifth floor without meeting anyone.

He stopped before her door.

What am I doing here? There's no way she'll want to see me… 

but she did mention me on the balcony…

even though she was probably just hoping I'd stay away forever

~~~(AN: pathetic boy isn't he?)~~~~~

His trail of thought stopped dead as he listened at the door. "Connor….please….."

She was talking in her sleep, and she'd said *_his*_ name!

That was enough convincing for him and he quietly opened her door.

She had left the bedroom door open, and he could make out her form against the sheets. In a daze he 

walked across her living room and towards her.

Her face was clouded and Connor could see the shimmering of her tears in the moonlight.

He felt a tight grip over her heart. 

_She's crying! My Dawn is crying!_

…wait.. my dawn? I wish.

His hand went to his neck, red with the marks of her teeth from just hours before, when she had kissed him, 

L

icked him…bit him in a fury of lust and clung to his body, pulling him deep into her. He felt a blush creep 

over his features, as if he had no right to have these memories of her.

He sighed and reached down, wiping away her tears with his fingertips. She murmured his name and rolled 

over. 

Connor sat down beside her and stroked her hair. She muttered and fidgeted in her sleep, but Connor 

couldn't pick up the words. Suddenly her dreams became much more violent and she started crying quite 

hard and reaching out with her arms…towards him.

Connor didn't know what to do, he couldn't wake her, she'd be furious that he was in her room. 

So he let her pull him down towards her and into her warm arms. 

Dawn let out a little gasp of surprise then wrapped herself around Connor, hugging him tightly.

She stopped crying and Connor could have sworn her eyes flicked open for a second and that she smiled at 

him, then she snuggled against him and whispered sleepily into his ear, 'connor.. you're real...'

She settled her head against him, and slept peacefully. Connor kissed her silky hair and then let himself join 

her.

******

Angel awoke to the sound of Cordy having a shower. He rolled over hoping for a few more minutes, after 

all it was only 11am… not dark for hours…then suddenly sat up with a start. "Connor!"

Cordy popped her head out of the bathroom, "what honey?"

Angel jumped to his feet, 'Connor is home!"

Cordy beamed at him, "Oh angel! That's great! .. But before you go and see him, maybe you should find 

your pants?" She winked and retreated to the bathroom.

Angel chuckled and grabbed some clothes, tossing them on quickly.

Cordy emerged, make up fully applied, hair blow-dried and perfectly dressed.

"Shall we? I have it in mind to erm.. give him a piece of my mind! Making me worry like that!" Cordy 

nodded her head and obviously tried very hard to look authoritarian. 

Angel shook his head and focused on Connor in his mind. He wasn't in his room… he was….

Angel's eyes widened, "he's in Dawn's room!"

Cordy raised and eyebrow, "well." 

*******

Angel paused in front of Dawn's bedroom.

Cordy walked up to the door, "You know what I said about awkward teenagers? Well, there are horny ones 

too.."

"*_Cordy*!"_

"I just think you should be prepared, god knows what we'll walk in on..entwined limbs.. sweaty 

bodies..eww" She grimaced

Angel listened at the door, "It sounds safe."

Inside they could see that the bedroom door was slightly opened.

Cordy grabbed Angel's hand and took a deep breath, "Ok, let's do this!"

She pulled him across dawn's living room skidding to a halt before her bedroom. She took another deep 

breath then reached out with a shoe and pushed the door open with a creak.

Angel was right, there on the bed lay Connor and Dawn, however they didn't seem overly 'horny-teenager' 

as Cordelia had feared despite entwined limbs ect. 

Dawn was asleep with her head in the crook of Connor's neck against his shoulder with her arms draped 

across him. Connor had his arms wrapped around her and his head rested facing down at hers. 

Cordy sighed, "Oh thank god! They look all cutesy, not all *shudder* ..all.."

Angel grimaced and tried to block out potential mental images, "yes Cordy, thankyou.. I know what you 

mean, let's go."

******


	10. Ch 9: morning

Chapter 9:

Dawn had had a most beautiful dream, If not as good or life like as her ones the day before. 

She'd been alone and lost looking for Connor, and when she'd reached out for him in desperation, he'd 

been there.

She couldn't really bring herself to open her eyes. 

_If only Connor was actually in my arms.._

She murmured "Connor.." and felt something move underneath her, her eyes flew open.

There, in her *_bed*_, in her *_arms*_, was Connor. 

She tried to prop herself up on her elbows then realised she'd been lying on top of him and felt her cheeks 

blush crimson. She could hear his breathing and feel his heart beating. He was real, not some wet dream. 

_I ought to get up… this will be so embarrassing when he wakes up.._

She gently disentangled herself from his embrace and sat up. Trying to get in control of the emotions 

whizzing through her body. Trying to block out visions of their imagined lovemaking the day before. 

Connor muttered, reached out where she had been, groaned then half sat up. She looked at him through 

wide eyes. 

His weren't even open properly. "Dawn.." he yawned then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her 

softly of the mouth before lying down again, pulling her back to her pervious position, on top of him.

Dawn stared at him from her position on his chest.

What is going on here!??!

"Um connor?"

He grunted.

"Connor!"

He opened his eyes a little again and looked up at her, he smiled, then kissed her again.

Dawn felt her heart speed up again the moment his lips touched hers, she tried half heartedly to control 

herself and mumbled into his kiss. 

Connor pulled back and placed a finger on her lips, "sshhh dawn.. I'm tired.."

Then he was soundly asleep again and dawn was left lying on top of him, stunned expression on her face.

She rested her head underneath his chin, "oh, he's tired." _Like that explains anything.._

******

Fred and Gunn looked up from the breakfast table with identical expressions of shock on their faces. 

Gunn opened his mouth and shut it again, then tried again, "So, connor's back? And he spent the evening in 

Dawn's bed!?!?"

Fred looked over at where Cordy was pouring herself coffee, "yep. Basically. Thank god they were both 

asleep, and fully clothed when we looked in on them."

Angel looked up from his paper, "hey! It's not like Connor would take advantage of Dawn or anything!"

Cordeilia smirked, "Oh no, of course not, not with _you_ and darla as his gene pool.. ha!"

Gunn patted Angel on the back, "The girl's got a point."

Fred nodded, "uh-huh! And after what we hear late at night, I think she's a reliable information source on 

your sex life angel."

Angel and Cordelia both said "HEY!" at exactly the same moment and Gunn hung his head in his hands 

his voice choked, "I thought we weren't gonna talk about _that_ Fred baby?"

******

Connor felt himself emerging from slumber, he opened his eyes blearily and yawned,. He tried to stretch 

but found himself entangled in something. 

He looked down at where Dawn lay looking up at him with wide eyes or_ someone.._

Recollection of kissing her earlier suddenly came back to him.

_how will she react? Is she going to yell at me and kick me out??_

"Connor..? Are you awake?"

He smiled_.so far so good.._ "yes."

She frowned slightly causing cute little wrinkles to form on her nose, "Connor, I'm really glad you're back 

And.. I.. I really like you and all that I don't want you to take this the wrong way .. I mean.. it's not that I don't want to be your… yeah well.. anyway.."

Connor reached down with a finger and pressed it to her lips, silencing her for the second time that 

morning.

She just looked steadily up at him.

Connor sighed, he knew what she was trying to say, he just wished he could keep her in his arms and not 

have to worry about getting up or letting her go.

"I know Dawn. You're 'not some little slut!'."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Connor continued " But I don't want you to be one."

He lifted his finger off her lips.

She smiled softly and Connor's heart melted. He didn't think telling her that they had actually had sex the 

day before would be a good idea, she obviously thought she'd been dreaming, and would undoubtedly 

think he thought she was a slut or something.

He leant down slightly. Closing the gap between them and kissed her softly, then bit her ear.

hey! Conner! Stop that!!"

She giggled and squirmed in his grasp as he nibbled on her ear making her scream when he suddenly licked 

it.

She sat up, unintentionally pulling him with her. "Connor! Stop that!! It tickles!"

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her pulling her onto his lap.

Dawn looked into his eyes and smiled. 

_He's so sweet!! And cute..and I dreamt about having sex with him.._

She blushed crimson as the memories of that dream came back to her.

He slowly pulled her closer and kissed her, just on the lips to start with then deepening it as their tongues 

slipped against one another.

Dawn wrapped her arms around Connor and pulled his face towards her own.

Connor couldn't believe his luck, 

Dawn actually liked him! In real life! Not just when she thought she was dreaming. 

He knew how she felt though, and slowly he ended their kiss, 

_I don't want her to think I just want to sleep with her.. she'll run away…_

He smiled at her, "Com'on dawn, breakfast!" He stood up to his knees and she mimicked him, wrapping 

her arms around him as they knelt on her bed. 

"mmm.._Connor.."_ she leant in and kissed him passionately her tongue exploring his mouth.

Connor felt her attentions start to turn him on. He sighed and returned her kiss, his arms pulling her up 

against him.

Eventually he managed to break their kiss, "Dawn…we really should get up, the others will wonder where 

we are."

Dawn smirked, " I always sleep in, and they don't know you're home."

Connor thought back to his parents voices earlier that morning, "Actually, I'm pretty sure they know 

*_exactly* _where I am.."

Dawn's eye's widened, "But, how!?"

Connor shrugged, "Well my father is a vampire.. he can sense who's nearby."

Dawn's face paled, "Oh, My God…thank god we didn't. um.."

Connor smiled and pulled her to her feet, "Yeah."

Dawn still looked shocked, "Hang on, I'll just go get changed."

******


	11. Ch 10: lorne's surprise, buffy's dream

Chapter 10:

__

~~~~(AN: sorry..short one..)~~~~~

Angel, Cordy, Gunn and Fred heard the kitchen door creak and all stared as.. Lorne entered. He smiled and 

said hello, then asked what was wrong. 

Angel just sighed, Gunn chuckled, Fred smirked and Cordy said: "Oh! Well, Connor's home and.."

Lorne waved his arm at her, "Oh _that.._ I already know all about Connor and Dawnie's little lustfest.. or 

should I say 'love-fests' plural.."

Angel spat out a mouthful of blood, "WHAT?!"

Lorne sat down at the table, "Oh, you know, the day Dawnie arrived she and Connor had that little 'run in' 

on the staircase, they 'bumped' into each other so to speak." He winked. "And then there was that whole 

'astral projection' thing they had going on.. " he glanced around the room, "I was just helping them out a 

little there.. you guys don't mind do you?"

Fred was wiping blood of her top and chanting 'ew, ew ,ew' but at Lorne's little story paused and stared at 

him before continuing, 'ew ew ew!'

Angel's face had darkened, "you mean to say you knew exactly why MY ONLY CHILDhad run away and 

YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!??!"

Lorne sighed, relieved Angel wasn't upset over the whole astral projection spell, "Well Angelcakes, you 

never asked."

Angel would have continued but Dawn and Connor had slipped into the now slightly crowded kitchen.

Connor started getting coffee and toast for them while Dawn sat down with a cheerful, "Hiya!"

Angel sighed, Cordy giggled, Gunn grunted, Fred smiled and Lorne patted her on the hand, "morning 

sunshine, how did you sleep?"

She smirked and decided to get back at the others for looking at her with knowing superiority, "Oh, with 

Connor actually!'

She smiled cheerfully as Connor spilt a cup of coffee and angel spat blood out (again) spraying Fred, 

Cordy and Gunn who were too scandalized to react.

Lorne laughed, "Nice one Dawnie." 

Dawn looked at the others, "You guys are so dirty! I was merely referring to my _sleeping _in the same bed 

as Connor, get your minds out of the gutter!"

Connor chuckled and placed a plate of toast and a coffee in front of her. _Little does she know…_

"Yeah, you guys all have one thing on your minds."

Dawn pecked him on the cheek, "I'll say!"

******

Buffy woke up with a start.

Spike muttered and rolled over.

"Spike!"

Her lover ignored her.

She leant over and slapped him, "Spike!"

He sighed and sat up, "yes luv?"

She looked at him with worry in her eyes, "Spike, I had a horrible dream.."

Spike yawned, "Oh, really? That's nice.." he lit a cigarette

"hey! It was about Dawnie!"

Spike sat up again, "What1? Niblet?" 

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I can't remember what was wrong, but it was really bad! Something unnatural was 

hurting her! Maybe a demon.. or a vampire.."

Spike was already getting up.

"Spike, where are you going!?"

He put his cigarette out in the ashtry next to the bed, "Niblet could be in trouble. We have to go make sure 

she's okay."

Buffy nodded, "William the bloody! You gigantic sap of a vampire! …" he glared at her, "You're right my 

little sister could be in trouble, the sooner we leave the better.."


	12. Ch 11: training

Chapter 11:

*lemon*

Connor and Dawn had decided that training would be a good idea.

They had spent the afternoon whacking each other with wooden sticks. 

Angel had come down and beat up on Connor for awhile, and Gunn had called out 'encouragement' from 

the sidelines for awhile, but had grown bored.

Dawn held a hand in the air and dropped her staff, "okay, I'm dead Connor. You win.. now.. just let me die 

here…" She promptly lay down on one of the blue gym mats and tried to catch her breath.

Connor chuckled and came and sat next to her. "So, I win eh? What's my reward then?"

Dawn held her hands up and made him pull her up so she was sitting. 

"Hmm.. reward.. reeeward… let me think… what would Connor want?? Hmmm…"

She smiled softly then slowly leant into him until her lips just barely brushed his, then she leapt to her feet, 

leaving Connor sitting on the ground looking confused.

"Mwahahahah!! I was just using you so I had time to catch my breath!" She flexed her arms out and threw 

a few punches, "Now, get up so I can Kick Your Ass!"

Connor squinted at Dawn, "Oh, just playing with me !?"

She chuckled "that's right!"

He stood and got into a fighting pose, trying to ignore how Dawn looked in her low pants and singlet, her 

face flushed and dewy with exertion..

__

just like she was yesterday when she was riding me, gasping and moaning with pleasure… oh god 

Connor.. just.. stop thinking ..

Dawn lashed out at him instantly, her fist connecting with his face. He rolled with it then smiled at her. 

She paused then kicked him, hard, he blocked her foot easily. She started punching and kicking wildly, 

while Connor laughed and easily deflected her blows.

"Hey! No fair! You've been holding back this whole time!"

Connor smirked. "Aren't you supposed to be 'kicking my ass'?"

Dawn glared across the room at him then started attacking again.

Connor caught hold of her arm as she tried to punch him and suddenly pulled Dawn against him and kissed 

her passionately. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue explored her mouth, then his grip on her arm 

loosened and she jumped back away from him, leaving his heart thumping much faster than it had ever 

done during his normal training. He could feel his desire for her growing. _I have to control myself, I can't _

scare her away..

She smiled at him then delivered a fast kick.

Connor wasn't paying attention and was too late to block the kick, his hand caught her leg but all he could 

do was pull her out of balance. Her eyes widened as her momentum carried her crashing into Connor, 

throwing him to the mats. 

"Ahhh!"

Dawn's leg strained as she ended up straddling Connor and almost doing the splits over his right shoulder.

She quickly moved her leg from where it had been. "Ahh! Damn you Connor! That caned!"

He groaned underneath her, "gee, and It's so comfortable being squashed by you."

She looked down at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Really? You're.. uncomfortable?"

She sat down upon him fully, so she pressed against his groin.

His eyes widened and a little groan escaped his throat. "_Dawn.._"

She blinked innocently, "Would you like me to move?"

She moved her hips against him and Connor gasped beneath her. 

"_Dawn!"_

"Fine! I'll move! Geez.."

She stood and left Connor panting on the floor.

He lay still for a moment.

You can't try anything! She'll think you think she's a slut..ignore the feelings connor.. ignore the way her 

skin smells.. the way she pressed against you..ignore the fact that you already know exactly what it feels 

like to be inside her..oh god..forget it..

Connor leapt to his feet and grabbed a startled Dawn, pulling her body against his, kissing her almost 

violently. She seemed surprised for a moment then returned his attentions with equal enthusiasm.

Connor pulled at her singlet, his hands running up underneath and over the smooth hot skin of her stomach. 

She groaned and roughly ripped his shirt from his chest, then resumed kissing him, her teeth catching his 

bottom lip. 

Connor's hands slid behind her onto her butt and pulled her hips against his own. Dawn moaned and 

wrapped her legs around him as he pushed her up so that she sat upon his hips, her legs clenching his sides.

Connor softly bit at the soft skin of her neck and Dawn felt her breath coming in gasps as Connor's 

attentions made her ache more and more.

_oh god.. I don't care if I do seem like a slut, I want him so bad..i want him like I had him in my dreams._

"Connor.."

He walked forward a few steps so she was pressed against the wall. He kissed her neck while his hands 

slipped under the waist of her loose pants and slowly rubbed her through her panties. She groaned and 

pulled his head against her breasts. He diverted his attentions to this new target kissing and licking her 

while she moaned and squeezed her legs together, bringing his erection up against her. 

Connor groaned, he'd have to end this soon, she didn't want to slept with him. "why must you always tease 

me this way!?!?"

She looked at him wide eyed, "who said I was teasing?"

******

Cordy opened the door of the hotel to be shoved aside as a smoking blanket rushed past her. Followed by 

Buffy.

Spike pulled the thick rug off himself and looked back at Buffy, who was smiling at Cordy, "Cordelia! 

Sorry too barge in on you like this, but I had this horrible feeling about Dawn.."

Gunn walked in and looked suspiciously at Spike.

"dawn?"

Buffy nodded, "I had a bad feeling.. I had to come check on her.."

Gunn shrugged, "She's down in the training room with Connor, last I saw she was beating him with a stick. 

I think he's the one you should be worried about."

Spike strode off in the direction of the basement. Muttering about his innocent niblet being left alone with 

the poof's son.

Cordy, Gunn and Buffy followed.

Cordy looked at Buffy, "How does he know where the basement is?"

She shrugged, "He's probably just following Dawn's scent or something."

******


	13. Ch 12: buff and the big bad

Chapter 12:

They reached the basement stairs and Spike paused and sniffed the air, he didn't like what he could smell.

He led them down towards the door of the training room a soft growl emitting from his throat.

Buffy and Cordy looked up at him curiously. 

Buffy took his arm, "What's wrong Spike?"

In answer he kicked open the door to reveal Connor and dawn's 'training'.

Spike took in the way the boy had Dawn pushed up against the wall and was reminded of the first time he 

had slept with Buffy. Anger boiled over in him and he ran at Connor, his Vamp face in place.

Cordy managed an , "ew."

Gunn grimaced.

Buffy stood in open-mouthed shock. Her little sister appeared to be in the midst of advanced foreplay with 

angel's son. "Training!?!? This isn't training! It's nookie-training!"

******

On the entrance of Buffy and co into the training room, Connor and Dawn had simply frozen in shock and 

embarrassment. Then Spike had been pulling Connor off Dawn and punching him in the face, despite the 

pain from his chip. Connor had retaliated by kicking the vamp full in the face.

"Spike! Stop it!!"

He ignored Dawn's screams and he and Connor continued to fight around the training room, Spike 

occasionally yelling out vague threats about 'touching his niblet' and Connor's impending castration.

Angel appeared just as Spike screamed this last threat and raised an eyebrow before punching Spike in the 

face. "castrate my son?"

For spike, the effects of Connor, the chip and now Angel took their toll, He sat down heavily on the floor 

and looked up at Angel dazed. "Peaches?"

Buffy bent down beside her lover and began inspecting him for serious harm.

Angel bent down towards him, "You are my grand-childe william, but threaten my son again and I'll kill 

you."

Dawn walked up to Connor and wrapped her arms around him. Connor just looked around bewildered at 

this strange Vampire and his blonde woman. "Childe?"

Angel looked up at his son and dawn, _well that explains a lot..who would have guessed Spike would go _

over-protective big brother on Dawn?

"Connor, this is Spike. I'm his grand-sire."

"Oh, Spike. I should have guessed from the hair."

Cordy smiled, "I'll say."

Spike glared up at him, trying to look threatening will buffy rubbed at his chin with a lacy hanky.

Angel sighed, "Anyway, Connor, meet Spike and Buffy."

Connor swallowed. _Great impression I must have just made on Dawn's sister, go me._

He felt Dawn squeeze his hand. "So buff! Any reason you and Spike came here and completely freaked me 

out?"

Buffy helped Spike to his feet, "Actually Dawn, there's something I need to tell you,"

******

"So you're worried that some evil thingy is after me?" Dawn looked questioningly at her sister.

Buffy nodded.

"well, I don't think you need too worry about me, I do have Connor, and Angel to look after me."

Spike scoffed, "Oh yes, I can see _Connor_ taking very good care of you.."

Connor snapped his attentions to the sulking vampire, "Oh give it a rest! You don't even know me!"

"exactly!"

Connor restrained his urge to punch the obnoxious blonde pom, "The reason you think I'll hurt Dawn is 

because you're imagining what a person like *you* would do in my place."

Spike lunged across the couch and started trying to strangle Connor.

Buffy and Dawn sighed.

"Spike! Stop it!"

The vamp ignored Dawn's protests.

Buffy leant back in her seat. "Spike, sweetie. If you don't stop attacking Connor, I will not sleep with you 

for a month."

The blonde vampire froze. 

Connor smirked.

Dawn made retching noises "_Buffy! Ew!_ Too much information!!"

Spike stood up and sat back down, "Hey niblet, we may *discuss* our sex life in public, at least we don't 

*_show*_ the public our sex life."

Dawn and Connor both blushed.  


Spike crossed his arms and looked at them both smugly, "That's right. I don't want you two doing anymore 

of the nookie-training.."

Dawn rolled her eyes and flopped back in the couch.

Connor looked confused, "…nook-key?"

Spike seemed disturbed by his ignorance, "*you* know what I'm talking about brat!"

Buffy coughed, "ahem. Spike? Remember what I said five minutes ago? About your lack of *nookie*-

*training* for the next month?"

Dawn laughed, "ha-HA!"

The vampire grumbled and sat down.

Buffy put on her serious voice again, "Look Dawn, I don't think these feelings I'm getting are just bad 

dreams… I can tell there's some truth to them. I want you to come home until I find out what's going on."

Dawn looked at her sister in shock, "WHAT?! I'm not going anywhere!! I've only been here a week!!"

Spike interrupted, "week and a *half*!"

"Well I'm not going back to Sunnydale. I'm almost eighteen. You don't get to tell me what to do 

anymore."

Buffy reached out and took her sister's hand, "Look Dawnie, I know how you feel! I seriously do! But I'm 

trying to do what's the safest most mature thing to do. I *know* something is after you, I want to keep and 

eye on you untill I know what it is. That's all."

Dawn sighed, "No Buffy. I'm staying here."

Connor leant towards the conversation, "Look .. Buffy, there's no need to worry about Dawn, There are 

plenty of people here in L.A to look after her."

Dawn crossed her arms, "NO! I'm not some baby! I don't want either of you to babysit me!!"

Connor looked at her in shock, ooooo that was obviously the *wrong* thing to say..

Spike patted Dawn on the head, "Look Niblet, we know you're not a child anymore. But you're still not all 

that strong. Being an adult doesn't suddenly mean you no longer need any one's help."

Angel spoke up from where he had been leaning in the doorway for the last few minutes, , "I'm impressed 

Spike, you didn't sound like a jerk just then."

Buffy smiled proudly, "see? He's actually a very caring, sensitive person! Aren't you Spikey-poos!"

She wrapped her arms around the Sulking Vanpire and kissed him on the cheek.

He attempted to save his reputation, "Shut it slayer!" 

She raised an eyebrow and replied softly, "no nookie for a month remember???"

He sighed, "FINE! I'M A FLUFFY BUNNY MAN! HAPPY NOW!??!!?"

Cordy poked her head around Angel and started laughing.

"Oh great, anyone else? DOES ANYONE NOT KNOW I AM THE FLUFFY BUNNY MAN!??!"

Gunn and Fred walked in from the other door.

Gunn paused, "Spike's a fluffy bunny man??"

The vampire stood and stalked from the room glaring at Angel on his way out.

Buffy turned back to Dawn, "Look, just for a week or two while I figure out what this thing is dawn! 

Please!"

Angel came and sat down, "I think Buffy has a point Dawn. We do need to find out if there really is 

something after you."

Connor butted in, "Can't we do that here?"

Cordy smirked, "Oh Connor, sweet, innocent Connor…we all know you have ulterior motives for keeping 

Dawnie here."

Gunn sniggered, "yeah I mean that thing with.."

Buffy raised her hand and cut him off, "Please. I sooo do not want to know. Okay? I'd rather be ignorant."

She turned to Dawn and Connor, "* I don't want to know * you understand?"

Dawn nodded. "Right. No details on the nookie-training."

Connor looked around, "what is this *nook- key* training!??!"

Fred coughed, "Um, Angel, I think you need to have a talk to your son."

Angel held up his hands, "Oh no.. not me!" He looked around the room, "Cordy! You can explain!"

The woman backed away from angel, "no no.. your son!"

Gunn smirked, "ooooh but I thought you were his 'mother' Cordy?"

Angel pointed, "A-HA! That's right! You're his adopted mother! He's *your* son too! Mwahhahah!!"

"NooOOooOooOooo.. wait a minute! I know!" She looked ver at Dawn, "Dawnie! *YOU* can explain!!"

Fred smiled sweetly, "yes, and you could even give him a demonstration!"

Buffy interrupted, "EW! *don't want to know!* remember!!??!!"

Dawn just shook her head , "You people are so pathetic." She looked at Connor, "Connor, nookie means 

sex."

He shrugged looking revealed, "Oh, is that all? I thought it was some new horrible technique involving 

training wookies or something.. like in that stupid movie Fred made us watch.. that hairy man thing.."

Fred slapped his head, "Hey! Star Wars is a classic!"

Gunn edged away from Fred, "Suuurreee it is hon.."

Dawn ignored them and turned to her sister, "Look, I'll come, but only for a week okay?"

Buffy looked relieved, "Thanks Dawn, I was just so worried back in Sunnydale.."

Angel nodded, "that's probably for the best Dawn. Connor and I will see if we can find any clues about 

new demons in LA. Ones that might have followed you here."

"Yeah! And the rest of us will try and find out info for you as well buff." Cordy smiled warmly. "I'm sure 

we'll sort this whole thing out really quickly!"


	14. Ch 13: twinkies?

Chapter 13:

Dawn looked out the window at the city lights whizzing past, or at least, she looked out of a a chip in the 

black paint.

Spike and Buffy were taking her back to Sunnydale until they'd figured out Buffy's 'bad vibe'. 

Spike had tried to tell her that it was probably Connor that she'd had the bad feeling about, but Buffy was 

adamant that Angel's son was 'a nice boy' and it wasn't him.

When Spike had start muttering about castration again, buffy had been forced to bring up the nookie-free 

month threat to shut him up.

Dawn thought back to Connor, he hadn't been happy about her leaving, but he figured he could survive a 

week. He'd made her promise that she'd call him every night and also made her leave half of her clothes at 

the hotel just so he'd be sure she'd come back.

Cordy had told him that it was now clear to her that broody-clingyness must be a genetic trait and explained 

that when she'd gone away for the weekend a couple of months ago, Angel had been motivated to figure 

out how to use his mobile phone and messaged her ever half an hour. 

When she stopped replying he'd driven in broad daylight to where she was visiting an aunt, convinced she 

had been kidnapped by a demon.

Her aunt had been ***slightly* **disturbed by the smoking blanket routine.

Connor had, off course, denied any clingyness, then spent an hour delaying dawn's departure.

*******

Spike glanced in the rearview and saw that Dawn was asleep. "So buff, you really think poof's kids alright 

then?"

Buffy sighed, "yes Spike, "poofs" son is nice. I've met him a couple of times, and he's very well mannered 

for some one raised in a hell dimension."

Spike frowned. "I dunno… seems a sneeky little bugger if you ask me…"

"Spike, you and I both know you just don't like him 'cause he's Angel's son and does things with dawn 

that I don't want to know about."

Spike shuddered, "I won't fill you in on the details then."

"Details? How do you know details!?"

He shrugged, "well, not details exactly, but I can *smell* him *all* over her. She still stinks of him." He 

frowned and shook his head, "disgusting…

Buffy held a hand up, "No spike. That's enough. So more info. I'd like to retain my image of Dawn as a 

sweet innocent little girl."

Spike grunted. "We'll have to stop for some fuel soon."

Buffy squeled, "OooOh! I can get some 'sustaining travel snacks'!"

Spike raised an eyebrow, "I could do with a bite myself.. hee hee.."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "no spike. Don't do the vamp humor, please."

"what!? It's funny!!"

******

Dawn must have dozed off on the trip because when she woke up they were half way home stopped at a 

service station.

"Buffy? Spike?"

The front door was open.

That;s weird, Spike got out? It's the middle of the day!

Dawn got out and stretched.

"Guys?"

no answer.

She sighed and headed into the station shop.

There was only one other car in the station. Dawn glanced at it then kept walking.

She froze and turned.

__

the car! It's windows are blacked out!!

Sure enough it was an old mustang, the kind that looked really cool but was usually owed by a middle aged 

man.

__

that's really weird. I gotta go tell Buffy and Spike!

She raced off towards the shop. Then heard a voice yell out to her.

"Dawn!"

__

It came from the car. Who's in there??? What other nice vampire do I know!??!

She paused and contemplated weather she should find Buffy or go and see who was in the car.

"Dawn! Come over here!.. you know I can't get out."

It was a man's voice. Not Spike's though.

She slowly crept towards the car. "Who's there?"

There was no reply.

Dawn stopped a few feet from the car. She could hear music coming from it. She recognized it as a song 

that had blasted from Gunn's rooms late at night. She couldn't remember who it was by, but she 

remembered the name cause it was funny "you think I ain't worth a dollar but I feel like a millionaire." 

Was it some friend of Fred and Gunn's then?

The song was turned down and that voice spoke again, "Hey Dawnie. Long time no see. Hop in the car 

and we'll catch up."

"You want me to get in your car?"

"Well, I can't exactly get out can I ?"

"um.. I guess not.."

"So, how's Connor and Liam?"

"Connor?.. he's fine.. but..liam??"

"yeaahh.. liam? You know, your.."

Dawn cut him off, "who are you!?"

there was a pause, "You don't remember me?"

"no…"

"oh."

Dawn saw a blur dash past her, leather jacket pulled over his head. Buffy called out, "Dawn! Comm'on! 

Let's go!"

Dawn waved, "Coming."

She looked at the blacked out window of the car for a minute, "um. Bye I guess." Then turned and headed 

back to the car, were a smoking Spike was munching on Twinkies with relish.

******

Dawn looked around her old room. The posters had been pulled off the wall before she left, now hanging at 

the Hyperion. The closet was empty save her old stuffed toys, but Buffy had made her bed up and left the 

window open too air out.

"well. Here I am. A whole whopping week (and a half) later. go the independence Dawn."

That night Spike, buffy and Dawn had down some research then headed around the grave yard looking for 

clues. Zilch.

When they got home buffy had said what Dawn was thinking, "I wish Willow, Zander and the others were 

still around."

Spike nodded, "yeah. It was a real pity what happened to them. Red was always good to me.. when I was 

crazy and all."

Dawn felt tears prick her eyes. Willow and the others had ended up in a car crash. Zander had hung around 

in hospital for a few hours, long enough to crack some jokes about the irony of being killed by a drunk 

driver after all the things they'd faced, then he'd died as well.

Dawn closed her eyes tight_. It wasn't fair. They shouldn't have died like that._

Spike pulled Buffy into a hug, "I know sweet. I always thought you and your friends would go out in a big 

bang. An antichrist or something, I spose that's all the conciliation you got. At least they died cleanly. 

Nothing'd hold them back from getting up where they belong."

Dawn found herself smiling, _It's weird the way *spike* of all people knows the right thing to say at times _

like these.

Buffy took a deep breath. "Thanks spike, I know they're happy up there, after all I was." She paused, 

remember her time in heaven, "I just miss them."


	15. Ch 14: comics

Chapter 14:

Connor awoke from a dream with a start.

He reached out beside him, half of him expecting to find Dawn beside him, but there was no-one of course.

He had a bad feeling. He wanted to hold dawn be sure that she was alright. He'd had a dream..

what was that?

He couldn't remember what he'd dreamt, but it sure as hell hadn't been one he'd been hoping for. 

A nocturnal visit from Dawn. It had had something to do with dawn though, something *bad*.

that's me and Buffy now.. I wonder if anyone else has been having these feelings?

I should tell dad.

******

Cordy awoke to find herself shaking and Angel holding her making soothing noises.

"Oh my god! What just happened!??!"

Angel shhhh'ed her and kissed her head, "You were having a nightmare cordy."

She struggled to focus on the dream.

She couldn't remember it.

"Dawn! Something bad is going to happen to dawn!!"

Angel looked down at her, "what? Did you have a vision?"

She nodded.

"what did you see."

"I don't remember! Oh.. it was horrible.. I don't know what it was though.. I can't remember.."

The Vampire with a soul frowned. 

"Well, there must really be something after Dawn. Connor and I will go and see what we can find out 

tonight. At least we know something is coming."

There was a knock at the door.

Angel turned, "come in."

His son entered looking troubled. He didn't say hello or good morning just sat on the end of Angel and 

Cordelia's bed. 

Cordy sat up, "What's wrong Connor?"

He looked up at his parents, "I had a dream.. or a vision.. something.. it was about Dawn. Something was 

after her."

Angel's frowned deepened. "This is serious." He stood and headed for the bathroom, "Connor, go get 

dressed. We'll go and see what we can find out around town."

His son nodded.

******

Angel took Connor to his usual contacts. They started with the morons at the comic book store.

Connor seemed skeptical. He picked up a random Japanese manga whose cover featured a half naked 

woman with wings and cat ears. (AN: ha-HA!.. not that I'm mocking manga.. and it's reliance on soft porn… K )

"comic's? why are we here?"

Angel leant over and picked up one from the back. And passed it to his son.

The cover of this one held a cartoon rendering of Angel striking a pose with a battle ax. "Angel: issue 36: 

Return of the Destroyer? They mean you! And.. me!?" Sure enough behind Angel stood a thinner figure 

holding a stake.

Angel frowned, "I don't look like that do I? I don't have fat chin…" he shook his head and returned the 

comic to its place.

"Anyway, you'd be surprised what these losers know, even if they do publish with a delay, I think they still 

think you're trying to kill me, or that I'm in a casket in the ocean." He waved a hand, "Gunn's the one who 

keeps an eye on him."

Connor blushed at the memory of what he'd down to his father.

Angel smiled, "Hey, don't look so gum!"

There was a squeal of excitement from behind the counter as the nerd that owned the store looked up and 

saw them, "Oh my god! Angel! In my Shop!"

Angel sighed, "I've come her several times."

"Oh well, its always a pleasure!! Oh, and who have you brought?" the fat man peered around Angel and 

caught sight of Connor, he paled, "Oh god.. you brought *him*?""

The man began to shake. "Please Angel don't let him hurt me!!" He turned to Connor, "Stephan! I'm good! 

I swear! Please don't kill me!!"

Connor growled and lifter the man by his collar, "NEVER call me bu THAT name. I am CONNOR."

The man's beady eyes flitted back and forth, "but..but.. don't you hate your father? Aren't you plotting 

revenge over Holtz??" (AN: is that his name? I forget..)

Connor threw the man up against a wall. "No. If had know what I know now, I would have killed Holtz 

myself."

The man looked up from the floor, then smiled, "Ohhh I get it!" he looked at Angel, "Ste.Connor.. knows 

the truth?" he scrambled up and grabbed a pen, "I gotta write this down! How did you get out of the coffin 

then Angel?"

Angel sighed, "look we're in a hurry, we didn't come here to give you an update. We need information."

The man looked up,"what type of info?"

Connor glared at him, "We know that something has arrived in LA last week. We want to know where it is, 

and what it is."

The man shrugged, "well, I might exchange info, say, for details on Angel's escape form his prison."

Angel sighed, "Fine! You tell us what we know and we'll give you something to write about."

Connor looked at his father, "Father? You think we should?"

Angel shrugged, "if we don't he'll just find out from someone else."

"Okay, we have a deal?.. well. Something did arrive, beginning of last week. Or should I say something*s*. 

A new group of fanatics. Fully into the dark stuff. You know the type, forever trying to raise some dark 

lord or demon of somethingerather. Anyway, these guys call them selves monks. They are trying to get 'the 

giver'" He looked at the identical blank faces before him.

Angel frowned, "But Dawn is the key.. I've never even heard of 'the giver'"

The man comic frowned, "dawn..?.. dawn.. wait!" the nerd let out another one of his squeals, "OOOO 

*Dawn Summers!! *so they're after her?!??! Oh, next issue is gonna rock! You guys needed a death in 

your ranks."

Connor punched the little man, "Don't talk about Dawn like that!"

Angel intervened, "Where can we find these monks?"

The nerdy man peered over his counter, "I think they hang around that strip mall a few blocks away .. that 

way," he motioned vaguely towards the east. "But I don't know their actual hide out. They just preach 

there.. hand out leaflets.."

Angel and Connor turned and left the store.

The little man waited till they were gone then erupted with a gleeful laugh. "OooOooOo..what a scoop! 

The guys will be sooo jealous!!! Connor knows the truth, Angel has escaped, 'the giver' must have 

something to do with the destroyer and the key…they're after dawn summers, even though she's the key, 

not the giver…hmmm..OooOoOOOooo.. maayybbeee…maybe Connor's so overprotective of young miss 

Dawn Summers because…SHE'S HAVING HIS CHILD!!WHO WILL BE THE GIVER!!! 

MWAHHAHAHAH!!!… nah… Ithat's too lame… wonder who the giver is?"

******

Fred sighed as Connor and Angel appeared at 3am in the morning dragging what appeared to be a monk 

between them. The man was cursing them and flicking them with holy water. Angel ducked as a shower 

flew over his shoulder. The monk cackled and tipped the rest of his water over Connor., drenching The 

leather jacket Cordy had bought him.

Connor raised an eyebrow, "What do you think that's going to do to me? Wet me to death?"

The monk looked at him in shock, "But. The destroyer.. you are evil! And antichrist!!"

Angel shook his head, "No, my son was born due to the grace of the powers that be. He's anything but 

'evil'.. despite the name…"

Cordy appeared, "Oh Connor! You got your jacket wet! Don't you know water and leather don't mix!!"

Connor sighed, "yes mother, tell that to the insane monk."

The monk was sitting on the floor in front of Angel. He saw Cordy and began bowing down to her, "Oh 

great lady! I sense the hand of the lord over your soul! Have you come to guide me through this place of 

darkness?"

Cordy blinked. "huh?"

Angel looked at the monk in surprise. "'the hand of the lord is over Cordy's soul..?"

Connor pulled the man to his feet, "look, quit freaking out my mother and tell me what you're 'lord' wants 

with Dawn."

The old man frowned, "dawn..? oh, you mean the key."

Connor nodded.

"we mean her no harm, she is merely the vessel through which out our great plans may be realised."

Connor frowned, "what do you mean?"

The monk bowed his head. "I may say no more."

"yes you will! What are these 'plans'?!?!"

Angel pulled his son back by the shoulder. "Connor, I have an idea." He looked over at cordy who was 

shaking her head and inspecting Connors jacket. "Cordy! Come over here."

******


	16. Ch 15: coke on cornflakes

Chapter 15:

Spike rolled over and pulled Buffy towards him. She was tensed up and muttering in her sleep.

The vampire looked down at her in concern

is she having more visions about Niblet?

He held her against his chest and stroked her hair, trying to calm her.

"calm down luv, nothing to worry about. Spike's here."

She murmured, "dawn!.. no…not you too…"

Spike sighed and decided he should wake her up.

He sat up gently and pulled her up with him, stroking her face with his hand. "Buffy luv, wake up."

She wrapped her arms around him and opened her eyes. "Spike?"

He stroked her silky blonde hair, "yes love, I'm here."

She sobbed a little into his shoulder, obviously trying to stifle them. 

"did you have another dream then buf?"

He felt her nod against him.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She sighed, "even if I wanted to I still couldn't. I don't remember what I dreamt about. Just that something 

horrible happened. I think dawn was dead. And someone else to…" She paused and pulled out of his 

embrace to look at him, "I think it was you."

Spike frowned. "Buffy, love, I wouldn't let myself get dusted, not know I've go you, and the niblet."

She smiled through her tears, " I know.. but I remember thinking, 'oh god. They're gone.' . you and dawn 

were dead.."

Spike kissed her softly. 

"Look, I'll make you a deal okay? You make sure I don't get dusted, and I'll make sure the niblet doesn't 

get into trouble? Ok? Everyone's covered."

She nodded. "okay."

******

Dawn was running, there was something following her, they were after the little boy she held in her arms.

She didn't know whose child the baby was, but she knew she had to protect it from what was following 

them.

She turned a corner and caught her breath, noticing her strange wardrobe. She was dressed in a bizarre 

white dress that was almost a robe, fasted at her waist with a soft length of cord. Her feet were bare and her 

hair was longer than it had ever gotten before. The child in her arms looked up at her with solemn bright 

blue eyes.

She held it to her shoulder and looked around her. She was in some sort of building. It was like a church or 

a cathedral. Beneath her feet was cold smooth marble. All around her statues of saints and dead people 

loomed over her. She looked down again and saw that the floor was etched with plaques. 

ewwww!! I'm walking on dead people! 

The baby squirmed against her and she heard voices in the distance.

They were coming. She had to open the portal. It was her only chance to escape.

If not, the tiny child she held would be sent to hell. That much she was certain of.

******

Light poured in threw her window.

Dawn yawned and reached across her bed for Connor. Then she remembered. He was in LA. And probably 

wouldn't be in her bed anyway. 

What a stupid dream… I shouldn't have watched that boring documentary on churches…or something on 

the history channel last night…

She sighed and flopped back into the pillows. She missed him. She had spoken to him the night before, but 

that wasn't enough for her. She wanted to touch him, hold him against her and kiss him.

She closed her eyes and thought back to how his kisses felt. His soft lips brushing against hers, his tongue 

tasting her, his eyes boring into her own…

Her memory slipped back to the dream she'd had, the one where they'd made love. 

She sighed and blushed.

If only that hadn't been a dream..

Eventually she made herself stand up.

She yawned.

She was hungry.. very hungry.. her stomach grumbled. 

I want mango chutney on cornflakes… yes…that's what I want…

She was just downing her delicious creation when buffy and Spike appeared in the kitchen. Spike sniffed 

her food and raised an eyebrow.

"what *are* you eating niblet?"

She smiled, "mango chutney and cornflakes."

Spike peered into the bowl, "Is that coke instead of milk!?"

she nodded. "it's sooo nice! You have gota try it!"

He poured himself a teacup of blood. "no thanks… " he shook his head in disbelief.

Buffy made a face, "spike's breakfast looks for appetizing.. that's gross dawn.." She shook her head and 

started reading the paper.

Dawn and Spike chatted about Connor, or Dawn gushed about how wonderful and strong and brave he was, 

and spike sneered a lot.

"ha! He's only what, 18? He's only a baby! He doesn't even know how to fight properly yet."

Dawn pouted, "hey! He IS a miracle child! His parents *were* vampires remember? And he *was* raised 

in hell, he picked up stuff other 18yr olds don't."

Spike scoffed, "like how to take a beating like a good boy?"

Dawn flicked some of her 'breakfast' at him, "hey! He's just as strong as you! He is Angel's son after all."

"Like being the 'poof's son is a good thing?"

Dawn paused for a moment, "hey, I just thought of something.. if angel's your grandsire, and Connor's his 

son.. " her eyes lit up, "CONNOR'S YOUR UNCLE!!!"

Spike started at her open-mouthed, she was right, damn her. "hey! Gradsire and grandpa are two entirely 

different things!"

Dawn shook her head, "nope, his parents were vampires, so he counts as a childe!

Buffy looked up from her paper, "hey guys, I just realised something… when you left Dawn, a lot of the 

demonic activity around here ceased. And the week you were gone, there were *no* suspicious homicides, 

according to the paper anyway."

Dawn frowned, "what does that tell us?"

Spike looked at the paper, "that what ever was after you was here in sunnydale, and followed you to LA."

Buffy continued, "which mean's its probably back here by now."

Spike nodded, "So, it must be close.. if it knows your back.. maybe it has a spy planted somewhere.. 

Connor for instance…"

Dawn threw her spoon at his head.

Buffy stood, "Stop being childish you two! ..I'm calling Angel, see what he's found out."

Spike muttered and wiped coke and mango chutney of his forehead with disgust, "you'll pay for that niblet. 

Heh heh.."

Dawn shrugged, "yeah Spike, whatever."

******

Buffy returned half an hour later.

Dawn looked up at her, "well?"

Her sister handed her the phone, "here, Connor wants to talk to you."

She watched as her sister took the phone and left the room giggling.

Spike looked up at here expectantly.

"well?"

Buffy took a deep breath, "well… it seems they found one of the guys after dawn. Some kind of religious 

cult. Turns out they aren't actually after dawn though. They called her 'the vessel to achieve their plans'.

They are going to use her to get to someone called 'the giver'. That ring any bells?"

Spike shook his head, "nope. There's so much of that religious stuff out there.. 'the giver' is probably some 

messiah that's been foretold for thousands of years.. But there are too many of those to keep track of… I 

wonder what he's supposed to do when they get him.."

"What we need to know is why Dawn has to lead them to this giving person."

Spike frowned, "maybe they just need to use her as the key. Maybe their generous moron is in another 

dimension?"

Buffy shuddered, "I hope not…"

********

Dawn couldn't control her urge to smile as soon as she heard Connor's voice.

"Connor! It's been awhile…"

He laughed, "yeah, at least.. 8 hours…"

"so…. read any good comics lately?"

"… shuddup dawn…"

She cackled evilly, "oh Connor, what's wrong? You don't like you heroic exploits being published?"

"I shouldn't have told you about that."

"awww…you're that embarrassed?"

"heh. Well, I'll be sure to buy a copy of the next issue, which will feature *YOU* and frame it."

"what!? I don't want to be in some stupid comic!!"

Connor chuckled, "weeeelllll now who's embarrassed?"

"… I hate you…"

"no you don't, you love me!"

Dawn sighed, he was right. Damn him.

******


	17. Ch 16: cordelia the angel

Chapter 16:

Lorne sighed, "so, let me get this straight, I come downstairs this morning and found a monk tied up on the 

kitchen table because..?"

Fred frowned, "what do you care? A monk on the kitchen table isn't weirdest thing that's ever happened 

here. I mean, I, the girl who was sent to a hell dimension by her jealous math teacher, am after all having a 

conversation with a bright green demon with horns in the living room of a hotel owned by a vampire, with 

a soul…." She paused, "I could go on.* ahem * Angel, vampire with a soul, who is the father of the 

destroyer, aka Connor, the miracle child of two vampires.."

Lorne frowned, "hmm. You have a point."

Fred smiled, " hey! This fun! You try the next one."

Lorne flexed his fingers, "Okay! Connor, the Destroyer, who happens to be 'getting some' , to quote Gunn, 

with the Key, also know as Dawnie who is being stalked by the kitchen-table monks, and who happens to 

be the little sister of Buffy, The vampire Slayer, who dated Angel, resulting in his loosing his soul, only to 

be sent to hell with his soul back, for 100 years…"

Connor paused by the door way on his way to speak to his father, _Angel went to a hell dimension for 100 _

years!?!? How come he never told me that? (AN:in this story connor doesn't know.. I can't remember if he does on the show..)

Fred cut in "ooooo!! The story of which appears in issue 25 of the Angel comic books!!"

Lorne nodded, "the next issue of which will feature the monk on the kitchen table! There! Full circle!"

The door opened and Angel appeared. He stopped and turned back to the door.

"Come one Cordy! You look great!"

Cordelia's voice floated in from the next room, "no, I look like I escaped from a primary school nativity 

play."

Angel paused, "okay, the outfits a little dated, but it suits you!"

"No.. I look like a.."

Gunn's voice could now be heard from behind her, "wow mary, where's the donkey?.. Oww!!! That hurt!"

Angel smirked, "smooth Gunn."

"Shuddup you… " Cordy suddenly pushed into the living room.

She was wearing a long white robe, complete with sandals.

Fred's eyes went wide. "so… is anyone going to explain why cordy looks like she's on her way to trick or 

treating?"

Cordy crossed her arms, "I'll let that pass because I like Fred, anyone else mock the robe, they get a sandal 

embedded up their…"

Angel put a hand on her shoulder, "no no. no-ones gonna mock the dress, right guys??"

"……"

Connor walked in from the other door, where he'd been standing for the last 5 minutes, "well, I think you 

look beautiful Cordy."

Cordy beamed. "Thank you Connor! You always know the right thing to say."

Angel sighed in relief and did the thumbs up at Connor from behind Cordelia's back, "Yes, you do look 

beautiful Cordy."

She sighed, "yes, but *you* say I look beautiful in anything, personally I think it's cause you think you'll 

get me out of what I'm wearing quickest!"

Connor sniggered.

Angel changed the subject quickly, "Cordy's dressed like this because she's got this big holy stamp on her, 

from being a higher being and all, and the monk can sense that. So we're gonna try and convince him 

Cordy's some kind of Angel or something."

Fred shrugged, "hey, it's worth a try. Good luck cordy."

She nodded, "thanks fred. Now! I'm headed for the kitchen…"

Lorne stood, "Wait, I know what might help." He dashed upstairs and returned with a little glass vial which 

he passed to Cordy, "here, it's an illumination spell. One of my clients gave it to me years ago.. Just open it 

before you go in and you'll go and glowy and high and mighty looking."

She nodded and headed out the door.

******

Connor looked across the living room at his father, remembering what he'd overheard between Lorne and Fred,

__

he went to hell for *100 years*?!? Why didn't he tell me?

"dad."

Angel looked up, it still surprised him when Connor called him 'dad'. "yes?"

His son frowned, "Why didn't you tell me you were sent to a hell dimension for a 100 years?"

Angel's eyes widened, "well… I um… I don't really like to think about that to tell you the truth."

Fred and gunn exchanged glances then crept from the room. Lorne stood and followed.

Connor didn't look impressed with his father's reply, "well, I can imagine you wouldn't want to think 

about it. But it would have made it a lot easier when I first got here to know that you, my father, knew what 

it was like in Quar-toth."

"well, it wasn't that particular hell dimension."

"How did buffy send you to hell?"

Angel's eyes widened, _he went straight to the point _"she had help from her friends."

Connor frowned, "okay. But *why* did she do it, Dawn told me Buffy loved you."

Angel sat on a couch, "she did."

Connor waited for him to add to this.

Angel sighed, "she is the slayer, I was evil. I was killing innocents. She did what she had too."

Connor crossed his arms, "explain."

"Well, Buffy and I were in love. Then, I experienced a moment of true happiness.. with her… and the curse 

that gave me my soul was broken. It became void if I started enjoying my punishment so to speak. So I was 

Angeleus again. Spike, Drusilla (she was my Childe) and I started generally being evil, killing people, 

blowing things up. The usual. So Buffy and her friends try to give me back my soul. Next thing I know I'm 

standing in front of a portal to hell and suddenly I'm me again. Angeleus is gone. Buffy's in front of me 

pointing a great big sword at me. She thinks the spell failed and I'm still Angeleus, so she stabs me and 

pushes me into hell."

Connor walked across the room and sat by his father. "so.. a woman you loved sent you to hell… and you 

weren't even Angeleus when it happened?"

Angel nodded, "I felt sorry for her when I first arrived, I knew how guilty she'd feel when willow told her 

about the spell. But, after a few years, I went insane. When I came back I was, almost completely. It's a 

miracle in itself I ever got back to normal. That's why, when they took you… I was so worried they'd 

break you and when I found you you'd be in little pieces. But instead, you came out…good." 

He gave Connor the briefest of brief one armed hugs and took a deep breath, "but that's all ancient history."

(AN: ahhhh the extent of connor/angel bonding..how sweet!) (… ps.. I can't spell angeleus.. as u may have noticed..)

Connor just looked across at his father in awe, _how could my father have survived something like that and _

still be willing to help others, how can he lead this life with that hanging over his head?.. 

If I ever turned on the people I love.. if I tried to hurt Dawn and forced her to kill me, I don't think I'd be 

able to bear knowing the pain I caused her...

Angel stood, "Let's go and see how Cordy's doing!"

At that moment Cordy appeared in the doorway, a faint golden glow radiating from her very skin. She 

looked every inch a higher being. The monk was screaming out after her, "Please! You must free me so I 

can finish our lord's work! Please I beg of you O lady of the light! Please! I am but your humble servant!"

Cordy rolled her eyes and shut the door.

"Well! I couldn't get the guy to shut up!"

Connor stood, "so, did you get a location!??!"

Conrdy nodded, "yep! That abandoned church near that new ugle bridge over on there.." she motioned tyo 

her right. "saint catherine's."

Angel frowned , "wait! I remember driving past that. Come on Connor, let's go."

He and Connor went over to the weapons cabinet and started picking up axes and sword's.

Gunn and fred appeared. 

"Ohhh we going !??!"

Gunn grabbed his favorite I-look-like-half-a-hub-cap-Axe and fred picked up her cross bow.

Cordy rolled her eyes, "hello!? I am brimming over with useful info right now! Wait a minute and I can fill 

you in on details!"

Angel turned back to his girlfriend, "Yes Cordy, and we Do want to hear those details, but the sooner we 

get to this hide out place the better, you tell us their master plan tonight." He leant over and kissed her 

forehead, "And thank you."

She sighed and watched them go.

"morons."

Lorne appeared, "Oh love muffin! How did it go?"

Cordy sat down, "wanna hear the plans these monks have for Dawn? Cause the other's didn't seem 

interested."

Lorne sat down next to her, "oh I'm interested."

Cordy cleared her throat, "well, it turns out 'the giver' has the ability to give out certain magical powers. 

Also, according to their books, the stronger the giver is the stronger the powers he can 'give'. They reckon 

he will give their head monk-dude this big buzz of magical energy if they get him before any one else does, 

send him to a hell dimension and toughen him up, then sacrifice him."

Lorne rolled is eyes, "typical, they're always to lazy to go to the gym."

"Here's where it gets interesting." Cordy paused, " I don't know if we should tell the others but.. Dawn's 

his mother."

Lorne gasped, "My god! That means… oh.. my..oh darn…"

Cordy raised an eyebrow, "oh darn?"

lorne looked around the room, "well, I kinda took pity on little Dawnie and Connor's teenage angst thing 

and… ikindaputaspellonher."

"..WHAT..?!"

Lorne sighed, "I put an astral projection spell on Dawnie.. Lets just say I have reason to believe she might 

already be pregnant."

Cordy's mouth hung open and her eyebrows shot up, "TO CONNOR!?!?!?"

"well.. yeah… they probably think they were dreaming though…"

Cordy started hyperventilating, "You idiot!! What are you going to tell Angel!? Not to mention Buffy.. oh 

my god.. they'll kill us… Buffy will blame me and Angel because we're Connor's parents, then she and 

spike will try and kill us…oh god… spike will seriously try and kill Connor…"

She looked up at the green demon next to her, "look, we can't tell anyone about this. We'll just say that 

dawn will lead them to the giver or something, then *_IF*_ dawn is pregnant, we'll deal with then. I mean, 

chances are she's not meant to give birth to the giver for a few years.. I hope.." 

******

Angel led Connor, Fred and Gunn through the door of the old church.

There was a foul smell around the place, like rotting flesh.

Fred covered her nose, "ew!"

Gunn coughed, "that is bad!"

The church was empty. The floor were covered in dust, the pews tipped on their sides and the walls 

covered in grafitti.

Angel glanced around, "looks empty."

Connor pointed at a track of clean ground, "Look, people have been walking up the alter recently."

He led the way up the aisle and towards the solid marble altar.

Angel stopped beside him and inspected the thing. Then he pulled the top of, throwing it to the floor with a 

smash as the thick marble cracked. The altar was hollow and exposed a flight of stairs.

Connor climbed in and started down the steps.

Fred grimaced, "oh boy, it smells even worse down there."

Connor figured since his father had announced their arrival with the crash of marble upstairs, there 

was no point trying to sneak downstairs, so he boldly walked down the steps and into the crypt beneath.

The smell was overpowering. It reminded Connor of the burial pits where the dead where thrown and left 

exposed and rotting in the open on Quar-toth.

His eyes instantly adjusted to the gloom. There were a dozen dead monks nailed into the stone walls, 

thankfully covered by their long brown robes.

Apart from that, the room was empty, save another altar.

Gunn appeared at the bottom of the stairs, stopped, looked around then turned, saying that he didn't think 

Fred's assistance would be needed. 

Fred could be heard on the stair way, "Huh? We leaving already ?"

"yeah baby, it's bad down there, but no evil monks, so we're gonna watch up top."

Angel nodded then went to inspect the altar.

Connor followed. "it's empty."

Angel nodded again, "I thought it might be. Buffy told me that she thinks they just followed Dawn here. 

They're probably back in Sunnydale."

Connor frowned. _Dawn might be in danger there then!_

Angel continued inspecting the altar. "These monks were each sacrificed on this, I can smell their blood."

"Yes, so can I. But, why sacrifice their own followers?"

Angel shrugged, "I smell something else here."

Connor focused on he scents in the room. "You're right. It smells like a demon."

Angel nodded, "yes. I'd say these little idiots are following a demon." He sighed, "I see so many of these 

cults spring up around weak demons. Hopefully that's all we're dealing with."

"And if we're not?"

Angel shrugged, "well, I'm sure Cordy has all the details, let's go find out then."


	18. Ch 17: dawn strong? ha!

Chapter 17:

Dawn trudged through the Sunnydale cemetery following Spike, with Buffy bringing up the rear. She was 

in the middle, where both Spike and Buffy could protect her.

__

This is exactly why I left in the first place. I was sick of being protected.

Spike paused.

"I'm picking up something. Humans. One demon."

Buffy replied, "lead the way."

Spike nodded and started tracking the scent. The demon was quite a strong one. But that didn't really 

matter, they were just on a recon mission anyway. Buffy wanted to know what was after dawn.

The plan was to sneak up and have a look, then go home a figure out a plan.

The graveyard was wet with dew, as always, and Spike was surprised Dawn wasn't slipping like she 

usually did. In fact, she was walking so quietly that even Spike could only just hear her passing.

__

when did she get so stealthy!??! Are her slayer genes finally kicking in or something?

Spike noticed a new scent.

"three vamps incoming."

Buffy pulled out a stake at the ready.

Dawn did the same.

Spike just continued leading the way through the gravestones.

Sure enough three figures appeared from behind a mausoleum.

Dawn flinched slightly.

They were three guys, a blonde quarter-back looking one, a skinny geeky one and a tall guy, all smelly and 

still in the suits they were buried in.

Spike sighed, " oh great, newbies."

The three foundlings looked over at him. "Who you calling a newbie!?" The tall one ran at him and met a 

fist to the head. He flew through the air and landed on a grave stone.

Buffy looked at spike, "I'll take blondie, you take his little friend."

She ran at the confused looking guy and kicked him in the head. 

Spike let the geeky guy punch him a few times then started bashing him, obviously enjoying himself.

Buffy meanwhile was likewise taking care of the other vamp.

Dawn yawned at sat down on a gravestone.

__

it's cold! I wish buffy and spike would stop playing with these guys. I wanna hurry up so I can go home.

Just then Buffy's blonde friend went poof, quickly followed by Spike's.

Dawn rolled her eyes, "nice work. Shall we?"

At that moment however she felt strong hands on her throat.

__

the third guy! I forgot about him!

Buffy and spike looked up at the tall guy behind dawn in shock.

"dawn!" Buffy started towards her sister, but the vamp made gnashing movements with his teeth,

"come any nearer and she gets a love bite."

Dawn could smell the sickly sweet smell of decay in the vampire putrid breath. _ew!_

Spike growled at let his vamp face out. "That girl has my sworn protection. Hurt her and I'll not only kill 

you, I'll do it with holy water and sunlight."

The hands around her throat faltered, "Who are you?"

__

oh god! How pathetic! This guy doesn't even recognize Spike and buffy!

Dawn spoke, "that's spike, William the Bloody." She felt the hands around her throat tighten slightly. _ahh _

he's heard of them at least she continued, " but I'm sure you've heard of him. And the girl is my sister, 

the slayer. They're gonna kill you no matter what you do."

Buffy nodded, "let her go and I'll just stake you. If not, I'll let spike play with you."

Spike growled and sneered, exposing his long fangs, looking very 'william the bloody' with his vamp face 

on and his eyes burning with hatred.

Dawn felt the hands around her throat tighten. She couldn't breath anymore, let alone speak.

__

oh god. I'm going to die like this. Killed by a weak foundling. With buffy and spike watching!

The voices around her, the vampire, Spike and Buffy, all loud and threatening failed to make sense to her 

and she felt her vision going dim. _I'm never going to see Connor again… I'm going to die a virgin!_

Dawn frowned at this last thought. _I'm pathetic even when I'm suffocating._

She looked towards Spike and Buffy, but large spots floated in her vision, obscuring them.

Her head was aching in dull deep throbs. _this is it. I'm about to die. I can't even see anymore..._

Suddenly she sensed something, it felt like Connor. She could her dim voices, but they weren't those of 

Buffy and Spike.

Then she noticed a slight tingling in her belly.

__

connor?

The tingling grew.

__

huh?

Se felt a surge of energy and power run through her.

__

what's happening?

Her vision had cleared. The spots were gone. Her head stopped pounding.

She froze for a moment then decided to kill the vamp behind her.

She suddenly stood up, felt the hands on her tighten even more, but didn't really feel them, then let go with 

a high kick, backwards and up behind her head, whacking the vamp in the head with a hard boot heel.

The vamp stumbled and fell away from Dawn.

She took a deep breath of the cool night air then punched the vamp in the face. To her utter shock he flew 

backwards, breaking through a mausoleum wall.

Dawn followed him, pulled out a stake and dusted him.

She walked back out side to see Spike and Buffy's disbelieving faces.

Spike squinted at her, "niblet? Are you okay? You're not possessed right?"

Dawn shook her head. "I dunno what just happened… ?it was.. weird.."

Buffy nodded, open-mouthed, "I'll say! You went all jackie chan slayer-style on that vamp!"

Dawn felt herself blush.

Spike was circling her, staring at her, "something's different. You don't smell the same. I noticed it in LA. 

You still smell of that boy."

Buffy cocked her head, "you can still smell Connor on her?"

Spike shrugged, "it's like that. I don't know what else it could be."

Dawn put her hands on her hips, "hey! Maybe all the training I did with him has paid off! And it's not my 

fault you have a hyperactive sense of smell! I do shower after all!"

Buffy raised an eyebrow, "you actually did real training? Not just the nookie-training?"

Dawn slapped her lightly on the arm, "yes!"

Spike hung back, looking disturbed, "something still doesn't make sense."

Dawn shrugged, "Spike! Geez! I did some training! Just lead us to the bloody cult already!"

Spike and Buffy returned to their positions and spike started through the graveyard again.

Dawn found herself lost in deep thought. She's felt Connor.. and someone else. It had almost seemed like 

Angel. Then that power had run threw her. She tensed a fist, felt a surge of power there. She knew she 

could punch threw a brick wall if she wanted to.

__

It's still there! I'm strong! Oh my god!.. this is truly weird!.. I have to ring Connor and tell him about 

this.

******

Buffy followed her little sister through the graveyard, noticing as Spike had done earlier the sudden ease of 

her movement. The power that was suggested simply by the way dawn held herself.

She suddenly wondered if looking at Dawn was like looking at her.

_The way she punched that guy. That was about the same kind of strength punch I can *sometimes* throw. _

Maybe she's finally awoken some of the inherited slayer gene she must have. Or maybe it has something 

to do with her being the Key..

She paused in thought as she carefully jumped over an empty open grave. Dawn whispered in front of her, 

"I hate those things! I have nightmares I'll fall into one…"

"don't worry Dawnie, you're not alone there. Open graves are gross."

Dawn's head bobbed in agreement and Buffy returned to her previous trail of thought.

__

Spike is convinced it has something to do with Connor. I'm not so sure though/ I think Spike's just 

majorly over-reacting in that department…but it is weird that he can still smell him.. maybe it's just his 

paranoia though…

Spike stopped and raised a hand.

"we're here."

Dawn stood next to Spike, "and where exactly is here?"

Spike pointed at a largest family crypt in front of them.

"they're in there."

He turned back to Buffy, "Now Buff, just a quick look right? I don't like bringing the niblet out here, right 

into the hands of the people who are meant to be after her."

Buffy nodded, "right."

Dawn sighed, "hey! I can look after myself thank you very much!"

Spike rolled his eyes, forgetting for a moment her display earlier, "sure bit."

Dawn growled and slapped him across the face. "Don't treat me like a child!"

Spike held a hand to his face. It came away bloody. He looked at his hand in disbelief. "Niblet. That 

*hurt*."

Buffy inspected his face. His nose and upper lip wee bleeding.

Dawn held her hand to her mouth, "oh my god Spike! I'm so sorry! I don't know how I could have.. I 

didn't mean to hit you hard.."

Buffy looked worried, "Dawnie. When I train with Spike, ***I*** have difficulty making him bleed. And you 

just did it by accident. That can't be because of normal training."

Spike wiped the blood from his face, "look, we'll figure this out later, niblet, in the meantime, don't whack 

Poor old Spike anymore okay?"

Dawn blushed into the darkness and nodded. "I'm sorry spike."

He shook his head, "Forget it."

Buffy leant up and kissed him on the cheek. "Comm'on babe, let's go be sneaky and what not."

She lead the way towards the crypt, which they could now see was lit with candles.

The door wasn't locked.

Buffy slowly opened the door.

The small room was empty save for four stone coffins rising from the ground. Candles were lit in the 

corners of the room.

Dawn observed the obvious, "it stinks in here. It stinks rreeaaalll bad…"

Spike nodded, "yep, that's the demon's scent. And a few less supernatural smells…"

Buffy started opening each coffin.

The first two held ordinary wooden coffins within. The third one was empty (not unusual in Sunnydale 

cemetery, chances are Buffy had dusted it's occupant.) Spike slid the last lid off. Stairs.

Buffy looked at spike, "okay, I'll go down, you stay here with Dawn."

Spike shook his head, "I'll go down. I can sense things you can't."

Dawn piped in, "here's an idea, how bought we *all* go, seeing as how I'm not completely defenseless and 

all.."

Buffy shook her head. "no Dawnie, if they weren't actually trying to catch you, maybe, but seeing as how 

you're their main target, you are not going down there. Off you go Spike. Be quick."

He nodded and silently got into the coffin and started down.

Dawn sighed and sat down on a nearby Coffin.

******

Spike headed down the dark staircase, noticing that it branched of into several tunnels at the bottom. 

__

this is good. Less likely I'm going to walk straight into the main room.

He kept to the gloom and followed the scent of the demon. 

The passage went of for ever. It was nearly half an hour later that Spike sensed the demon to be close.

__

okay, now to take a peek then leave…

He paused at the corner of the tunnel and listened. He heard voices, but they weren't coming towards him, 

they must be facing the other side of the room. He waited, checking that there wasn't anyone else in the 

next chamber, then slowly, as not to attract attention with sudden movement, poked his head around the 

corner.

It was as he had expected. Lots of blood, lot's of bodies. An altar, monks, and a great big ugly demon.

Spike checked no one had seen him. Then he set about memorizing the scene before him.

__

okay. Dead people, both innocents and monks. Okay, so the demon punished his followers. What else? 

Altar, covered in dried blood with a big old book on it. Obviously that was their holy book thing.

The demon. … ugly…. Big, strong… hairy.. horns.. smelly.. wearing a robe? Looks like priest's 

costume…and no tail, how unique…

As Spike was taking in the details of the Demon he noticed something. His nose. Or rather the flat slits that 

he used as a nose. It was quivering_. He can smell me._

Spike slid slowly back against the wall and cursed quietly, "oh bloody hell."

Then he turned and ran.

******

Buffy had struggled through almost and hour and a half of dawn gushing about Connor when Spike's head 

appeared.

"Okay. Run now."

Dawn and buffy jumped up. Spike quickly put the lid back on the coffin. Then turned and herded them 

from the chamber. "running… quickly now!"

Buffy broke into a jog , "so, it went that well Spike?"


	19. Ch 18: father son discusion

Chapter 18

Connor looked from Cordy to Lorne and back again.

they are hiding something.

Angel seemed to be thinking the same thing. "so, that's *everything* you know?"

Cordy smiled nervously, "sure is angel!"

Lorne nodded, "that's exactly what she told me Angelcakes."

Connor raised and eyebrow. "so, they want dawn, because she will lead them to this 'giver ' person, who 

they intend to send to a hell dimension, then sacrifice so that the demon these monks follow will get more 

powers."

Cordy nodded, "not just any powers either, this giver is meant to be able to give huge power, as in, power 

to snap you and Angel like twigs."

Angel nodded, "okay, really strong evil guy, we get that part. But are you sure you're not leaving 

something out between dawn and the giver. How does she lead them to him?"

Cordy glanced quickly at Connor, _well, actually, she sleeps with your son and conceives him!_

She shrugged, "sorry, that's all I know."

Connor frowned, _why did she look at me when she said that??_ , "So you have no idea who the giver 

actually is?"

Cordy shook her head. _YOUR SON!!_

Gunn frowned, "why don't you just go back and ask the monk? He's still calling out for you to save him."

As if on cue a loud mournful cry emitted from the kitchen. 

Fred nodded, "yeah cordelia, I'm sure you could get more info out of him."

Lorne looked worried.

Angel and Connor noticed this.

Cordy stood up quickly, "maybe tomorrow. I'm too tired now. It's nearly dawn. I'm going to sleep."

With that she turned and practically sprinted upstairs, casting a soft light up the hallway.

Lorne jumped up, "I'm bushed too! Night all!"

With that the green demon dashed up to his room. 

Fred and gunn looked around. 

Fred stood slowly, "um, right. Well. I suppose they're right, it is late..er… early." She took Gunn's hand, 

"comm'on honey." 

Gunn grunted at Connor and Angel and headed after Fred.

Angel spoke first, "Cordy and lorne know something else."

Connor nodded, "yeah, and I'd say it's a big something."

Angel stood, "I'll see if I can weasel it out of her." He turned and headed upstairs. "you should go to bed 

too Connor."

His son nodded, "yeah.."

He paused and considered telling his father the weird vision thing that had happened to him a few hours 

before. 

He'd been out patrolling, just finished off two vampires when he felt as though someone was choking him.

The feeling had been so real that he'd found himself unable to stand and had fallen to his knees in the 

middle of an alley. His vision had dimmed and his head begun to throb. Spots of light had danced before 

his eyes. Then he felt Dawn. It was as though she was next to him. He could feel her warmth and smell the 

blood running through her veins. He'd sensed someone else as well. Some one familiar, almost like his 

father. He'd even heard Dawn calling his name, although he couldn't actually hear her voice. Then the 

choking feeling had passed and he'd fallen forward into a pile of vampire dust.

Slowly Dawn had faded from his consciousness. 

Angel was looking down at him looking concerned, "connor? Are you okay?"

Connor decided not to tell Angel, it was too complicated to explain. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Angel opened his mouth to say something else but the phone began to ring.

Connor jumped up and headed across the foyer for it. 

Angel looked hard into his son's back for a minute, then turned and headed upstairs. _there's something he _

wanted to tell me. Oh well. He'll say when he's ready I guess.

"hello, Angel investigations."

Connor answered the phone the way Cordy made him.

"connor!! Oh my god! I can't believe *you* happened to pick up the phone at 4am in the morning!"

Connor felt a warm feeling run through him at the sound of Dawn's voice, "Dawn!"

why is she calling this late? Something must be wrong

"are you okay!? Has something happened!??"

he heard dawn laugh on the other line, "no silly. Well, nothing *bad* happened.. although a lot of really 

weird things happened tonight."

Connor thought back to the choking feeling, "dawn… Did someone try to strangle you?"

The line went dead.

"dawn?"

".. how did you know that Connor?!?"

"Um.. I had a vision.. kind of thing.. a couple of hours ago. I *felt* you, I could her your words in my 

mind."

"Oh my god! The same thing happened to me! I could feel you or sense you or something!"

Connor frowned into the phone, "what exactly happened?"

"well, Spike, Buffy and I were in the graveyard looking for the cult that's after me, and we ran into 3 

vamps. Long story short, buffy and Spike killed two of them, the third one crept behind me and tried to 

strangle me."

Connor felt rage that something had tried to hurt his Dawn, he took a deep breath, calmed himself and 

waited for her to continue, "and?"

"And.. then I kinda sensed you.. and someone else… they seemed familiar though.."

"And how did you not end up strangled?"

"It was sooo weird! I felt this tingly feeling, then I got all strong! Seriously! As in I could woop your ass! I 

punched this vampire and he flew like, twenty feet!"

Connor felt confused, _how can this be? My Dawn isn't strong.._ "so you killed the vampire?"

"yep!"

"I'm just glad you're okay dawn."

"aww… you're so sweet connor!"

"So, did you guys find the cult?"

"Yep, spike went into their lair and sussed 'em out. The big ugly demon dude was there. He's killed a heap 

of people, and some of the monks."

"Yeah, the place we found here was the same."

Connor heard Dawn yawn, "you're tired. You should go to sleep."

In response she yawned again. 

"yes dawn. You're realllyy tired. Go to bed."

"No no.. I'm fine.. yawn..fine.."

"Dawn. Go. To. Bed….Now!"

"okay! Okay!..Geez…I'm going upstairs….." Connor heard her feet on the stairs, then a door open, " I'm 

in my room.. " a flopping noise, "there.. I'm in bed Connor.. Ah, the wonders of the cordless phone."

Connor shook his head, "okay.. now sleep!"

"Hey, I'm in bed, noone said anything about sleeping.."

"No, dawn. Sleep."

She sighed, "alright alright fine. 'nite Connor."

"sleep well dawn."

******

Connor turned of the lights in the foyer and headed upstairs towards his room. 

His mind was clouded over with the strange events of the past few days.. or weeks.. 

First dawn had appeared and he'd practically jumped her on a stairway… then he'd run away… then Dawn 

had started somehow visiting him in his dreams, (he still wasn't sure how that happened exactly) He'd 

found out he was a comic book character… His girlfriend who he appeared to be somehow telepathically 

linked to was being chased by a cult.. Then he'd had that vision in the alley.. not to mention finding out his 

father was in a hell dimension for a century..

He passed his father and Cordy's room. A faint glow was emitting from under the door.

His father's voice drifted out towards him, "You're like a human night-light.."

He just made out a loud slapping noise and an "ow!" before he reached the next flight of stairs.

Connor suddenly felt a wave of extreme tiredness wash over him. He couldn't remember ever being so 

tired. All he could think of was his bed.. his soft..warm.. bed..

He reached his room, walked blindly through his living room, almost tripped over the playstation 2 he'd 

left on the floor and collapsed on his bed. He managed to pull his shirt of but couldn't be bothered 

taking off his pants.

I really should take of my pants…no.. too tired..maybe my shoes?

he sat up, ripped of his shoes and fell back down again.

there. Good enough.

With a groan he rolled over, pulling his covers around himself and fell instantly into a deep sleep.

******

Connor opened his eyes.

It was cold.. and still dark outside. He missed his nice warm shirt.

I must have only dozed off for a minute..

He shivered and reached out for his covers, _I must have thrown them off or something_

He was dimly wondering what woke him up when he realised that the mound of doona next to him had 

made a groaning noise.

He peered into the darkness and focused his senses. It was Dawn.

"what are you doing back here? I haven't 'dreamt' about you since you left.."

She was asleep.

Connor frowned and tried for the millionth time to think of a logical explanation for Dawn's appearances.

__

There's just no answer! The only thing I can think of is a spell.

Dawn moved in her sleep, unconsciously drawing herself up against him.

Connor wrapped his arms around her.

__

she stole my doona, sharing body heat is the least she could do..

He felt his blood singing at her proximity. Just holding her warmth against him made him feel more relaxed 

and at home then he'd ever felt before. It was as though his very body recognised her.

Connor sighed and inhaled the sweet smell of her shampoo and felt himself smiling.

His eyelids drooped as he listened to the steady beat of her heart against him.

******

Dawn stirred in her sleep, almost rising to consciousness. She suddenly felt warm and loved and for the 

first time in weeks did not dream, but slept blissfully.

******

Connor knew where he was. He recognised the smell of the place before he opened his eyes.

He was in hell.

He could feel the heat of the place, sense the pain and the violence all around him.

He was back where he had spent his first 18 years.

Finally he made himself look around himself. He *was* in Quar-toth. He knew this very place. Holtz had 

made him climb the cliff behind him when he was 8. He'd had to carry a battle-axe far to large for him 

strapped to his back. There'd been a demon he had to kill living in a cave three-quarters of the way up. He 

remembered exactly where it was. 

__

I wonder if that demon's bones still lie in there

He focused on the barren waste land spread before him. The sky was black, who knew when the sun would 

next rise? If it ever would again.. He could here screams and yells of countless soulless creatures fighting 

and dying.

"Why am I here?"

He sensed something move to his right. He turned, just catching a glimpse of a thin man before he could 

slip from his vision.

A voice addressed him from his left, "If you are here, then I must kill you."

Connor felt a movement in the air and ducked out of the way of an axe blow.

_that was close! This person is strong!.. and I am unarmed.._

He heard a noise and quickly ducked another pass of the deathly sharp metal.

"wait! I am unarmed."

Silence greeted his words.

"Who are you? You do not smell like anything else I have killed in this place."

Connor restrained a sigh of relief, this man would talk to him. Good.

"I am called Connor. I grew up in this place, but I am not of this Dimension."

The figure walked closer, in full view now, "Neither am I. My master tells me that I must kill every 

creature I encounter until I the day I am 18, then I may return to my home world."

Connor felt his heart skip. The boy before him reminded him of himself a year or two ago.

"Your master?"

"Yes. He is a great holy man. He tells me it is my destiny to give power to his cause. He wishes for me to 

fight the evil in my home world. That is why I must stay here and grow strong."

Connor recognized the boys words. "You are the giver."

The figure's head snapped up to face connor's in the darkness. The axe blade suddenly pressed against 

Connor's throat, "How do you know me by that name!?"

"I know you're story. I know of your master and his followers."

The blade pressed harder into Connor's skin, "how could you?"

"I am from your homeworld." He paused and wondered if he ought to say more, to convince the boy of his 

honesty, "I am a friend of Dawn's."

The axe blade dug in sharply, drawing blood.

so, he knows who dawn is..

But Connor had had enough, he reached out suddenly and pulled the axe from the boy's grasp.

The boy stumbled back, falling into a fighting stance.

Connor stood the massive axe beside him and carefully wiped the blood from his chin, taking no notice of 

the boy.

Eventually the giver relaxed, "who are you to speak of my mother in friendship?!"

Connor's mind reeled. _dawn is his mother?!!?!? _It made sense to him now. 

"If dawn is your mother. Then I must be.. must be… your father."

The boy before him froze. "No. My father is dead."

Dimly, as if he was aware this was not real, Connor said softly, "this must be a vision of the future then. 

This is what Cordelia would not say…"

Around him the screaming of demons quieted and the hot rank breeze off the hell-desert became fresh and 

cold.

He looked up, expecting to see the familiar stars of Quar-toth, but instead saw the white of his bedroom 

ceiling.

He looked down at Dawn's sleeping form where she curled against him, her breathing even and deep, her 

lips almost smiling. He pressed two fingers against her soft dry lips and kissed her gently on the tip of her 

nose.

He leant back into the pillows and made his heart rate slow and focused on sensing her.

He could taste her blood. He could smell her soft sweet scent. _dawn…_

But underneath it he felt something else. It was like him. Or his father.

He swallowed and placed a hand against Dawn's stomach, not able to accept this truth. He felt it. It was 

there.. a part of him.. growing into his son. His son who would be sent straight to Quar-toth to live out the 

same horrific childhood as himself if he could not save him.

It was my son that I sensed during my vision. He .. he *gave* Dawn that power!

He thought back to his dream conversation with his son. He knew his mother… did that mean Dawn was 

held in hell as well?… And he was dead. 

__

who else dies I wonder. My father? Cordelia?.. Buffy and Spike would surely die to try and rescue Dawn. 

If she was still in Quar-toth, they must have all failed like me. They must all die as well.

******

note:

OoOOoOOoOOoo.. finally the lame title is making sense ey?

Of course when I started this.. I had no idea *how* exactly it would.. but hey!

Thanks for the reviews ppl! I _have_ figured out where wesley's gonna come into this…eventually…

******


	20. Ch 19: Damn Spike timing!

Chapter 19

Dawn smiled in her sleep. She was dreaming, she knew that. She couldn't actually be lying wrapped in 

Connor's strong, warm arms. He was in LA.

She lay quietly and listened to the sound of his heart beating. It felt so real. She could feel his chest rising 

and falling with each breath. She could smell his scent were her face was buried between his bare chest and 

the covers.

Dawn heard Spike's voice from outside her door.

_no… I don't wanna get up yet…this is so perfect.._

"Niblet! Get up! It's almost dark."

Dawn tightened her grip on the surprisingly real feeling Connor.

__

No! I won't let go! I'm not getting up!

"Niblet! Up!!"

Dawn felt her consciousness fighting against her _get up! It's just a dream!_

She pulled herself closer to the warmth of Connor.

"BIT! UP!" He banged on her door loudly.

Dawn kept her arms around Connor and opened her eyes.

She felt a weird lurching motion then everything was still..

She sighed and looked down and her pillow.

"oh.my.god."

Dawn looked up.

She was in her room, in *Sunnydale* but lying on her bed dressed only in a pair of faded black jeans was 

Connor.

She disentangled herself from him slightly and sat up looking down at him in disbelief. "how are you 

here!?"

Spike banged on her door..

_Shit! If Spike comes in here.. Connor's dead!_

Connor stirred and rolled over on his stomach, muttering.

Dawn starred down at his messy blonde hair and tried very hard to focus on Spike banging on the door. Not 

the things she was having urges to do to Connor

"Bloody hell! Are you dead or something?!"

Dawn cleared her throat, "no. I'm fine. I'll be dressed in a minute."

"about bloody time!"

She listened as Spike headed downstairs.

__

Now. Wake Connor up and ask him how the hell he ended up here.

Dawn reached down and carefully pulled Connor onto his back again.

He looked so cute! His hair was all messy and bits hung down over his eyes and his lips were parted 

slightly. Dawn's eyes slid down over his leanly muscled chest and arms.

__

focus! Wake him up!

"connor?"

He didn't react.

Dawn leant down over him and kissed him softly. His lips quivered under her own.

"connor?"

She kissed him again, this time he almost kissed her back.

"con-nor!"

His eyelids suddenly flew open to reveal his bright blue eyes.

He smiled sleepily and rubbed his eyes.

"dawn? You're still here?"

Dawn raised an eyebrow, "if by 'here' you mean my bedroom in Sunnydale, yes."

Connor propped himself up on his elbows and looked around in confusion. Yes. This was definitely a girls 

room. Pink. Lots of pink.

"This is really getting confusing."

Dawn nodded, despite the fact that she was so distracted by just looking at him she hadn't heard a word 

he'd said. She forgot all about Spike and the fact that she should be making excuses or hiding Connor in 

her closet or something

All she could see was him. She ran her fingers through his hair and stopped them holding the side of his 

face.

He placed a hand over her own.

"dawn, there's some stuff I have to talk to you about.."

_I have to explain this whole dream-thing for a start.. and then figure out how *I* ended up *here*_

She silenced him as she brushed her lips against his.

He gave a slight moan of protest then pushed his face up towards hers, returning her kiss.

_I'll tell her later…_

Dawn felt her heart beat faster and a warm glow spread over her body as Connor kissed her.

He slid his hands up around her face, keeping her bent over him as he deepened their kiss, His tongue 

meeting hers in a familiar dance.

Dawn broke the kiss and pulled Connor up to a sitting position.

He smiled at her and took one of her hands, pulling it up to his lips and kissing each of her fingertips.

He placed a kiss on the underside of her wrist, and whispered, "every part of you is beautiful. So delicate.."

He softly laid a trail of kisses up her arm, pausing when he reached her shoulder, and pulling her onto his 

lap before continuing.

Dawn wrapped her arms around him, loving we way the bare hot skin of his chest pressed against her.

She sighed and rested her head against him as he kissed his way up along her neck, making her skin prick 

and shiver.

He gently pulled her up so she faced him, their faces so close they brushed against one another.

He looked deep into her eyes.

She smiled softly, "Connor…" She paused and kissed him softly, "I love you."

He looked a little surprised at her sudden revelation, but kissed her then replied, "Dawn, I didn't know what 

love was until I laid eyes on you."

Dawn leant forward and kissed him.

_oh my god! This is so perfect! Connor *loves* me!!_

******

Buffy sat at the kitchen table reading the paper.

_Hmm… well.. the suspicious homicides and disappearances have jumped up again..surprise surprise_

Spike appeared and headed straight for the fridge.

Buffy smirked, she liked it when he walked around the house in only his black leather pants…

_he just looks.. so hot…_

Using all her slayer-sneakyness, she stood up and crept up behind him.

She paused then tickled him along the sides of his waist. His most ticklish part.

He gave a yell and spun around, grabbing her hands and pining her against the island in the middle of the 

kitchen.

Buffy smirked and looked up at him, "bit ticklish aren't we Spikey?"

Spike held his 'I-am-incredibly-pissed-right-now' expression for a minute then let his hand slip down her 

back and under the waist of her pants. His fingers paused at the part of her lower back that was incredible 

ticklish.

"Well well.. Don't let go telling anyone my weakness, and I won't share yours."

He wriggled his fingers and Buffy instantly started squirming and laughing.

"No spike! Stop it! Nooo!!"

He laughed and continued his assault for a bit longer before letting her go.

She darted across the kitchen panting.

"dammit Spike! No fair!"

The vampire shrugged and poured himself a cup of blood.

It was then that he noticed something.

He froze and tilled an ear up towards the ceiling.

He could hear something.

"Buf, do you hear voices?"

The slayer frowned and concentrated, "you're right! There's someone in Dawn's room!" She looked up at 

Spike, "do you sense anything?!?!"

He held a hand up to silence her while he concentrated, "yeah.. there's someone up their with her."

Buffy turned and ran towards the stairs, Spike right behind her.

They ran silently up the steps and along the hall to Dawn's room.

Spike listened carefully, "no voices."

Buffy nodded, looking worried, and reached for the door knob.

_what if that demon is in there?! What if they've already gotten Dawnie!??!_

Buffy turned the knob and quickly opened the door, and was actually relieved to find her little sister 

making out with Angel's half-naked son. _oh thank god!.. It's just Connor!_

Spike starred open mouthed. Connor was sitting on his Niblet's bed, dressed only in a pair of black jeans, 

with niblet was sitting *on his lap!*

__

That little punk! Taking advantage of my niblet! AGAIN!

Dawn and Connor froze.

Connor felt himself blush crimson, _why do those two always walk in at the worst possible times?!_

Dawn seemed unperturbed however and simply turned to face her sister and Spike with a smile.

"Morning guys! You'll never guess what happened this morning!"

_oh god. Please let this work.. please let them think I'm not worried.. please let Spike not try and kill _

Connor!

Buffy sighed, "do I want to guess?"

Connor interrupted, "um… It's not what it looks like?"

Spike growled loudly from the doorway, "Better not be peaches jr.!!"

Buffy placed a hand on his shoulder, "come downstairs and explain…this… then Dawnie."

She shook her head softly and turned pushing Spike in front of her.

Dawn sighed and got off Connor. "Come on Connor."

Connor followed her out of her room and down the hall.

He could hear Spike growling and muttering murderously in front of him. 

_he really hates me…_

Dawn reached down and took his hand, then stood up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.

******


	21. Ch 20: dumbass footballers

Chapter 20.

The room was underground. That much was obvious. No hint of a breeze or clean air came from the 

doorways. The walls were unfinished stone, the ground, dirt. The only source of light was from a fire sunk 

into the middle of the floor.

Monks in long brown robes lined the walls, but their were gapes in their ranks, as if some of their number 

were missing.

Several corpses lay in a broken bloodied pile at the far end. Behind an altar that might have once 

been white, but as now caked in dried blood, stood a tall demon. He was dressed in long robes reminiscent 

of those of a priest. He wore a crucifix.

His breath was hot and rank and the long robes of white could not hide the grotesque way his body 

convulsed with every forced upright step.

"**Bring the book."**

His voice was loud and sounded wet.

Two monks quickly came forward holding a huge leather bound book between them. They bowed and 

edged backwards away from their lord, their eyes averted.

The demon took up the ancient book and opened it upon the pulpit that stood before the altar.

****

"The Book tells us that he shall be born of divine flesh near 9 months from this day."

He shut the book.

****

"We must rescue the Giver's mother. She will need to be …taught of her holy destiny, of the way in 

which her son must be reared. Then she shall take her rightful place as the mother of our people.

Only then can I shed this accursed demon's body, and return to my true form" 

_fools! I shall bathe in the blood of each and everyone of you! Then, through sacrificing the boy I will _

have more power than any other on earth…my form will change.. I will have the power to resemble 

whoever I wish… you will worship as your god, not just your messiah! 

The demon's mouth twisted in what might have been a smile.

__

and in return, I shall make you alll taste the life of the damned!! .. but First I must get the Key. After she 

gives birth I shall impregnate her with a second child, lest the first should die in Quar-toth. Then I will 

possess her. . That way I can be sure of the loyalty of her son.

******

Cordy sat bolt upright in her bed.

Instantly she felt Angel awaken next to her and sit up.

She could still taste the stench of that place in the back of her mouth.

_ oh god… I have to warn Connor and Dawn, even if I did swear not to tell Angel, they can tell him…_

She felt Angel's arms around her, pulling her near, "Cordy? What's wrong?"

She tried to smile, gave up, and buried her head in his chest. "oh, nightmare. I might just go and get a drink. 

I'll be back."

She stood, knowing Angel would be frowning into the darkness.

******

Angel sat up in bed starring at the door, waiting for Cordy to return. He knew more was worrying her than 

a nightmare. She'd been distant for the last week. She and Lorne still knew something that they weren't 

telling him, or Connor.

He looked over at the window. He could make out the light of sunset around the edges of the thick curtains. 

It was time he got up anyway.

__

I'm going to go ask her… she can't keep what ever it is she knows from me forever.

He concentrated on sensing Cordy, and tried to find out where in the hotel she was.

A few seconds later he stood up and heading towards the stairs.

_She's in Connor's room, maybe she's finally going to tell him what she knows.._

******

Cordy saw Connor's door was still open a little. She walked through his living room, past the T.V, the 

stereo and all he other stuff she'd made Angel buy him and into his bedroom.

The double bed in the center of the room was unmade and Cordy could make out the indent of his head 

upon one of the pillow's, but Connor was gone.

******

Angel silently padded into Connor's room, and saw Cordy leaning in the doorway of his bedroom across 

the room from him.

The light from the open windows cast a shadow across her face, but Angel could tell she was even more 

upset than she had been a few minutes before.

He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She flinched slightly then relaxed.

Angel leant forward and whispered into her ear, "What's wrong Cordy?"

She sighed, "Look for yourself."

Angel looked into Connor's bedroom.

It was empty.

"Connor's gone!? Again?!?"

He pulled away from Cordy and ran for the door.

Cordy called after him, "I'm sure he's fine Angel! He'll probably be back soon!"

Angel ignored her and ran down the stairs, Connor had been fine the day before, Angel couldn't see him 

running away again.

_What f someone's taken him again? What if he's gone for good this time?_

He arrived downstairs.

Lorne was sitting behind the front desk, sipping a cocktail of some description. He waved in greeting, 

"Morning Angel cakes! I've got a phone message for you from…"

Angel held up a hand to silence him and headed for the kitchen, _maybe fred or gunn know what's going _

on..

He entered the kitchen to find Fred giggling and leaning across the table feeding Gunn from the fruit bowl.

He stopped.

Fred slid back into her seat.

Gunn waved cheerily and tried to say something through a mouthful of cherry. He paused and spat out a 

stone.

Angel looked at them both in deadly seriousness, "have you seen Connor?"

Gunn looked confused, "well, obviously not since this morning.."

Fred nodded, "well yeah, how could we have seen him?"

Angel shook his head slightly, "what do you mean? You knew he was going? How come no-one told me?"

Fred shrugged, "um, Angel, Connor didn't even know he was going, how could anyone have told you?"

Gunn nodded, "yeah Angel, what you talking about?"

Angel took a seat, "So.. his not being here doesn't worry you?"

Fred reached over and popped a grape in her mouth, "well, not really.. I mean, it did before, but not now."

Angel stood again, "what do you mean before!?"

Gun raised his hands, "whoa there big fella!.. no need to get all upset."

Lorne poked his head in the doorway, "Angel, you really need to read this phone message."

The vampire shook his head, "I have more important things to deal with right now!"

Lorne frowned, "more important than your *son's* message explaining why he is currently in sunnydale?"

Angel turned, "WHAT!?"

Fred shook her head, "oh god, you can be such a moron angel."

******

Connor returned from phoning the hotel to find Dawn and Buffy having a discussion about weather buffy's 

top was pink or magenta. Spike sat beside Buffy with his arms crossed, glaring openly at Connor.

Dawn turned, "hey! What did your dad say?"

Connor shrugged, "Only Lorne was up. He said he's get Angel to call me.'

Buffy nodded, "okay, now." She motioned to the remaining empty seat, "you and Dawn can give us your 

explanation."

Connor swallowed, _oh great.. I haven't even had time to explain this to Dawn, and now isn't the time to _

say anything to her, let alone tell Spike and her sister…

Spike sneered, exposing some teeth.

Buffy slapped his hand, "no Spike! No billy idol impersonation!"

Spike's sneer dropped away into nothing, "Hey! He copied _me!_ That useless bastard! Made a complete 

mockery of me! Even stole me sneer!.. bastard.."

Dawn patted him on the shoulder "there there spike."

Spike looked almost teary eyed, "used to get idiots pestering me for an autograph…Dru used to tease me 

about it.."

Connor sat down, "who's Billy idol?"

Buffy shot him a glance, "don't mention him in this house okay?"

Connor nodded. _riiighhttt…_

Spike sat up straight and coughed, composing himself, "so, now then," He glared at Connor again, 

"explanations?"

Dawn glanced at Connor, "Um.. well.."

Connor half shrugged, "um…"

Buffy raised her eyebrows, "so far, this isn't riveting stuff."

Connor looked over at Dawn _what can I say? Should I pretend I don't know what's happening?_

Dawn looked over and held his gaze for a moment. She sighed, "well Buffy, we don't really know what's 

going on ourselves. I was having a dream… and then I heard Spike calling me.. and I remember not 

wanting to wake up… and when I did.. Connor was here."

Spike scoffed, "yeah sure." He looked over a Connor, "you came in through the window right?"

Conner scoffed, "yeah, right after I hitch hiked from L.A with no shoes or shirt."

Spike smirked, "Well, from the son of Poof, I'm not surprised."

Connor's eyes narrowed, "don't call my father that…"

Spike pouted, "oooOooOooo.. the boy with no shirt is threatening me! OooOoOo.."

Dawn rolled her eyes, "hello? Before you mock Connor's lack of clothing, remember you're wearing 

exactly the same thing as him, and by choice might I add!"

Buffy nodded, "she has a point my half naked Spikey-poos." She smiled and winked at him , "not that I'm 

complaining mind.."

Dawn made a retching noise, "eww!"

Buffy stood and put her hands on her hip, "hey! Don't you go all high and mighty on my missy! After all, 

no one ever found half naked boys in my bed when I was 17!"

Dawn gasped, "oh yeah? Well they would have, IF THEY HADN'T ALL HAD TO BE GONE BY 

SUNRISE!"

Buffy opened her mouth in shock.

Spike chuckled. "good call niblet."

Connor sat, his gaze darting around the table, they were all 'psycho's' in Cordy's opinion. He now saw 

why she'd think that. He swallowed and reached up, gently pulling Dawn back into her seat. After a 

moment Buffy sat as well.

"Um, Dawn, there's something I need to speak to you about in private."

She turned to face him, "about what?"

Connor licked his lips, "stuff that would make it easier to explain to buffy how I ended up here.. maybe.."

She nodded, "okay."

She pulled him up to his feet and lead him from the room, throwing a glare at Buffy.

She stopped in the living room and took both Connor's hands in her own, and leant towards him.

Connor pulled her up against him in a hug. She sighed into his shoulder, "they're never gonna understand 

Connor. I don't even understand."

Connor sighed, "I know. I don't fully either. But I do know more than you do. I need to tell you some 

stuff."

He turned back towards the kitchen, then leant and whispered in her ear, "spike can hear, let's go outside."

Dawn nodded and let him lead her towards the front door. The moment his hand touched the door knob 

spike's voice echoed from the kitchen, "where are you two going!?"

Dawn sighed, "to the *porch* Spike! Jeez! Overreact much?"

Connor opened the door and then shut it behind them and he and dawn walked down the drive.

Dawn stopped and hugged him again, her arms wrapped around his neck.

Connor ignored what he was supposed to tell her for a minute and just stood, enjoying the feel of her 

against him. Eventually she spoke into his chest. "What was it you wanted to say Connor?"

He planted a kiss on the top of her head and pulled her closer. How could he tell her?

"dawn, I had a dream.. or a vision.. and a couple of things made sense to me… I still don't know how I 

ended up here.. but I do know a couple of things about why this cult is after you." He paused, now was the 

hard part.

He opened his mouth but two cars full of teenagers drove past and started wolf whistling and screaming at 

him and dawn, he heard a guy call out, "Go summers!" and a female voice agree with him , "Never knew 

you were such a slut summers!"

Connor growled, they were insulting his dawn! He glanced around for something to throw at the cars. 

Dawn felt herself burn with shame, just her luck that a heap of losers from her old school should drive past 

when she was hugging a half naked guy in her front yard. She sighed , at least Connor was really hot…

Connor pulled away from her slightly and before she could stop him, he had pulled out her letter box and 

hurled it through the back window of one of the cars.

"Connor!" Dawn couldn't help but smile. "You shouldn't have done that!"

"they insulted you."

"well yeah, but still.. you're gonna have to fight them now…"

Sure enough, a rain of insults and swear words came from both cars and they screeched in reverse to where 

Connor and Dawn stood, still holding hands.

Connor turned and quickly kissed Dawn , "excuse me for a moment."

Dawn sighed and sat down on her fence. Trying to look like she wasn't enjoying this.

The car doors opened and a half a dozen big guys dawn recognised in the fading evening light as part of the 

old football team headed for Connor. Their collective girlfriends hopped out and Dawn noticed a few of 

them perving on Connor in his half-naked state.

One of the footballers made pathetic punching motions and started at Connor, "hey! Dickhead! You owe 

me for what you did to my ride!"

Connor crossed his arms, "no, you owe me for what you said about my girlfriend."

He grunted, "you mean that slut?" He pointed at Dawn.

His friends all laughed appreciatively.

Connor's face twisted with hate and he suddenly darted forward and punched the guy in the head.

He fell back into his precious car. Connor pulled him up by his neck and held him with his feet dangling in 

the air.

His friends hung back, surprised.

"What did you say?"

He spluttered, blood from his now broken nose dribbling down his chin.

Connor turned and threw him to the ground.

"what. did. You. say.?"

The guy just spluttered for a minute then stood, his face twisted into an ugly frown, "you're gonna pay for 

that! You and you're liitle slut!"

He made a motion with his head to his friends, and they all ran at Connor at the same time.

Connor punched one in the head, rendering him unconscious, and kicked another one. Leaving only four on 

their feet.

He let a third guy punch him, without so much as flinching, and grabbed his wrist. He slowly applied more 

and more pressure, as the guy started to scream, then broke his arm and shoved him back onto the ground.

Another guy glanced down at his friends, two out of it after one hit, the other screaming with an arm 

twisted in the wrong direction.

"Um… maybe we should go?"

One of the other guys whacked him on the back of the head, "don't be a woos!"

Dawn sighed audibly, "You should listen to him, your slutty little girlfriends are gonna have to scrape you 

off the pavement and take you home when Connor's finished with you."

Connor smirked, dawn knew him to well.

The one with the bloody broken nose yelled at her, "shut up bitch!"

Dawn raised an eyebrow, "Connor's sooo gonna kick your ass."

But before Connor had the opportunity to kick said ass, the footballer turned and found spike smiling at 

him.

Dawn broke into a grin, "whoa! You guys are even more dead now!"

Connor looked uncertainly at Spike. The vamp glanced up at him, "was watching through the window. 

Sun's down.. thought I'd have me some fun." He grinned. "Now, what did you say about my little Niblet?"

Bloody nose's girlfriend's eyes were popping out of her head. Her eyes darted between Connor and Spike, 

both clad only in their pants. Dawn saw her adjust her top so a bit more of her breasts were visible.

Bloody nose rolled his eyes, "What did I say to the little bitch? That's between her and me."

Spike growled.

Bloody nose raised his arms in mock horror and smiled over at his girlfriend, "OoOOoI'm sooo scared! 

Billy's gonna kick my ass! Oooo!"

Spike's face twisted at the reference to Billy Idol, and he punched the guy with all his strength. The guy 

sailed through the air and landed 50 feet away in someone's yard. Spike grimaced as his chip punished him.

The three remaining guys backed away from the two freaky guys without shirts and got back into their 

cars.

Dawn laughed, "oh my god! You guys are soo pathetic! As if 100 of you could touch Spike or Connor! Let 

alone 6! Ha!"

Bloody nose's girlfriend wiggled over to Connor and Spike, "so. How'd guys like *you* two end up 

with a loser like Summers?"

Both Spike and Connor growled.

Spike glared, " 'summers' is my daughter."

The girl winked, "Sure, with a bod like yours!?..Well, you can be my 'daddy' any time you like."

Connor shook his head, there was only word he knew that could describe this girl, "whore."

She gasped .

Spike chuckled.

Connor walked over and sat beside dawn, wrapping his arm around her.

She smiled and shook her head, "men. Just have to bash everyone.."

He shrugged, "They offended your honor."

She chuckled, "I don't care what people like them say about me, if someone I respected called me a slut, 

then I'd be offended."

Connor frowned, "oh. Does this mean if some calls you a slut I should only bash them if they are your 

friend?"

Dawn paused, "nah, forget I said anything. Bash them, it's more entertaining."

She glanced up at Spike and then sluttly girl, "speaking of entertaining.."

Connor followed her gaze. The Slayer was headed up the walk, her eyes set with murder upon that girl who 

dared to flirt with *her* Spike..

Spike sensed her and smiled to himself. _Good. I won't have to slap this idiot girl._

Sure enough, Buffy tapped the girl on the shoulder and slapped her across the face when she turned around.

Bloody nose who was limping towards the idling cars saw this.

"Hey! That counselor chick slapped stacey!"

Buffy turned, "yes I did! You just get her to stay away from my boyfriend and I won't be forced to KILL 

HER!"

Dawn cheered from the fence, "go buffy!"

Connor just looked amused. "she reminds me off you. Highly strung."

Dawn turned ignoring his arm over her shoulders, "what's that supposed to mean!?"

Spike wrapped his arms around buffy's waist from behind and kissed the side of her neck. "aw, luv, you're 

so cute when you're angry."

Stacey stood up and screamed at Buffy, "you bitch! That hurt!" She leapt forward and tried to scratch 

buffy's face, but spike raised a hand and caught it, not actually hurting her.

Buffy glared.

The girl batted her eyelids at Spike, "I'm Stacey, what's your name?"

Spike let go her hand and snorted.

Buffy pulled herself out of his arms and pushed the girls into the open car door.

"Stay away from him!.." she paused "why do you have my letter box?"

She pulled it out of the back and slammed the door on stacey's face.

Bloody nose limped into the other car, pausing to splutter at Spike and connor, "You guys are so gonna 

pay!"

Spike nodded sarcastically, "yeah mate, I'm sure."

******

AN: yes, I realise most of that chapter was pointless.. and that it was twice as long as they usually are..

… but hey. It was fun to write dammit!!

OOOooOOOOooOooOoOooo..oo.. when's Connor gonna get to tell dawn about 'the thing with the thing'?

Answer: I have no idea…

Mwa-ha-ha-ha!


	22. Ch 21: wild mood swings

Chapter 21

Connor wasn't actually sure what was on the tv in front of him, but he didn't really care. It could have been 

a Muppets Christmas special for all he knew.

He was too distracted by Dawn. She was sitting so close to him, she was almost on his lap. Her hands were 

wrapped around his waist, playing with the material of the shirt Spike had leant him

She sighed and leant back into the sofa, resting her head on Connor's shoulder.

In response Connor kissed the side of her neck, just below her ear.

She smiled and tightened her arms around his waist.

__

It's so cool having him here with me! He makes just watching TV better..

She closed her eyes, ignoring the screen in front of her and smiled at his warmth and listening to the sound 

of his heart beating.

Connor looked down at Dawn rested against him and felt a wave of love rise up in him. Her chestnut hair 

felt silky against his shoulder, her body warm where she leant against him. Connor sighed to himself, he 

cared about her so much it hurt. 

_If those monks take her.. I couldn't go on..I can't fail her.. or our son.._

He slid his hand under her shirt and cupped her hip stroking the side of her belly, feeling the life form 

growing there.

__

She's so warm..I really have to tell her about him.

Dawn sighed at his touch and turned her head up to face his, her bright eyes boring into his own, her full 

lips part softly... so tempting..

She smiled softly and leant up for a kiss.

Connor felt her lips press against his own. Suddenly it seemed like weeks since he'd last kissed her, even 

though it had only been about ten minutes. She pulled back far too soon for his liking, and he pulled her 

face back towards him. 

She smirked, "connor…"

He kissed her roughly, his tongue claiming her, expressing his sudden lust. He raised an arm and cupped 

her face in his hand, holding her close.

She moaned softly at the sudden change in the mood of their kissing and pulled her arms tighter around his 

neck, pulling herself up towards him.

Connor could feel himself getting more and more aroused just by her kisses. Then he noticed the way she 

was pressed against him, her breasts crushed into his chest…

He wanted to rip her clothes off and claim her right where they sat.

Dawn gave another little groaning noise and the sound made Connor's heart skip a beat. Just the sound of 

her desire was getting hard to cope with. He knew that if their little make out session continued he'd have a 

hard time resisting his lust.

_ when did I turn into such a horny idiot?!_

He pulled back slightly, ending their kiss and smiled down at her.

"dawn.. this isn't the place.." 

_I can't have spike or buffy walking in on us again… twice is plenty enough.._

Dawn leant down and pressed a finger up against his lips silencing him. 

_when did she end up on my lap!?_

She looked deep into his eyes and traced around his lips, swollen with her kisses, with her finger. 

"dawn.."

Connor lost all ability to think while she looked at him like that, her eyes wide, reflecting her beauty.

Her soft fingertips ran along his skin, pausing to explore his features. His mouth, his nose, his eyes.

Dawn continued memorising every aspect of his face, her fingers finally falling upon his lips again.

She paused, then settled her hands in his hair, cradling his face.

Connor sighed and closed his eyes, giving up.

He felt her warm breath against his skin, his lips tingling with expectation as her lips pressed against 

him in the softest most excruciatingly beautiful kiss she'd ever given him.

She tasted him briefly then pulled away.

Connor opened his eyes, feeling slightly dazed. 

Dawn looked down at him, nothing but pure love shining in her eyes.

Connor sat up straight, his nose brushing against hers, their breath mingling and wrapped his arms around 

her . He kissed her softly, the effort of denying his desire forcing tears form his eyes.

Dawn's eyes widened and she gently brushed her finger tips over the wetness of his tears. She looked down 

at him in shock and concern, "Connor! What's wrong?"

He swallowed and tried to answer, tried to explain what had him so upset. How she was bearing his child, 

that she and his child might well end up dead or living in a hell dimension. But most of all, he wanted to 

tell her that he loved her and he wanted her. But he couldn't have her. That's why tears where sliding 

silently from his eyes. He couldn't make the words come out though.

Dawn looked down at him, her own eyes pricking and tears welling there. "connor.."

He noticed how she was on the verge of tears. "No dawn, don't cry. I'm sorry." 

He reached up and gently kissed each of her eyelids in turn. "I didn't mean to upset you."

She didn't reply, just rested her forehead against his, her breath coming in gasps.

He pulled her down into a tight hug, her face buried in his shoulder.

Eventually he heard her whisper, "tell me what's wrong then."

Before he could control himself or think of the proper thing to say, he heard himself reply, "I love you 

Dawn, and I want you… But I can't have you."

He felt her freeze against him.

_Oh god..was that a bad thing to say?… why did I say that?!! She's going to hate me.._

Sure enough she sat up on his lap her eyes narrowed with anger. Suddenly she slapped him across the face.

"what do mean 'you can't have me!?' You already do!"

Connor stared at her dumbfounded as his head rang from the force of her blow. _wow. She is stronger. That _

actually hurt, a lot.

She pulled herself off him and strode across the room and up the stairs, her arms crossed.

Connor watched her leave, suddenly feeling a chill in the room now that she wasn't holding him.

Quickly he stood and followed her, "dawn, wait!"

******

Buffy watched as Spike, who had been growing increasingly agitated over the past half an hour suddenly 

smirked and relaxed back into his chair.

She raised an eyebrow, "why so suddenly cheery?"

He smiled and took a sip of blood from his teacup, "oh, Niblet just gave Jr. a talking to. Heh heh. Bout 

time."

Buffy sighed and shook her head, "spike, you are sooo pathetic. And I thought you'd decided Connor was 

alright, 'defended your niblet's honor' and all that."

He shrugged, "he's alright but he's still not good enough for bit." He paused, "no son of Peaches could be."

Buffy glared, "I thought we'd had this discussion? No more angel mockery.. at least while Connor is 

staying here."

Spike sighed.

Buffy continued, "you know the terms of our agreement." She looked meaningfully at the living room door. 

"The couch isn't all that comfy after all."

The vampire sighed again, in defeat. "fine slayer!"

Buffy smiled happily and took a long slurp of her coke.

Spike stood, "I'm going to check on niblet."

Buffy raised a hand, "Stay."

Spike crossed his arms, "I'm not your trained pet vampire you know!"

She just smirked, "leave them, let them make up, don't interfere."

She stood and tossed her empty can in the bin, "and don't look at me like that! She's 18.. you said it 

yourself, she's not our little girl anymore. No need to tuck her in at night."

Buffy walked over and wrapped her arms around him, "besides, you're attentions are needed in the other 

Miss Summer's bedroom…"

He stopped frowning, "well, if Miss _Buffy_ Summer's requires more urgent need of my services than Miss 

__

Dawn Summers.. …"

******

Dawn ran into her room and slammed the door. She was angry, she wasn't sure exactly _why_ she was so 

angry, but she was.. dammit!

She sat down on her bed and hugged her pillow. It was a poor replacement for Connor.

_Why did I just explode like that?.. It's not like he said anything really bad…I just feel like I can't control _

my feelings anymore..

She rolled over and buried her face in the pillow, feeling tears prick her eyes. She breathed deeply, trying to 

control the feeling of sorrow and hopelessness washing over her,

She heard the door open. Then close.

She didn't hear footsteps but she knew who ever it was, they were now standing next to her bed. It could be 

Buffy, or Spike or Connor… They were all equally stealthy. 

__

Yeah, Connor probably sent buffy up..

She felt anger boil in her. It was unlike any feeling she'd felt before, normally she didn't get this angry.. 

and never so quickly. What was wrong with her?

She felt her fists clench at her sides and a hot wave of rage ran through her body, then she rolled over to tell 

buffy to fuck off.

It was Connor. 

There was a smear of blood from his bottom lip, which she'd cracked when she'd slapped him. For some 

reason, the sight of this made her even more angry.

She let out a yell and threw a punch right at his face.

His eyes widened in shock , "Dawn!"

She couldn't make words to reply, she just leapt at him, pushing him back into her wardrobe.

He reached out and grabbed at the sides of the doors, smashing the wood.

Dawn just watched, unable to explain this rage boiling in her. She wanted to hit something, and Connor just 

happened to be the one around.

He stood slowly, watching her warily. He took a single step towards her, "dawn? What's wrong?"

At the sound of his voice, she felt herself snap inside and she literally flew through the air aiming a kick at 

his head.

He rolled to the side and deflected her blow.

She just glared at him, her breath coming in wild gasps.

He raised his hands and tried to reason with her. "Please Dawn, I'm sorry! Just calm down.."

In response she grabbed his arms and threw him back across her room. He landed neatly on her bed.

However, before he could move or speak she was on top of him, her hands tightening around his neck.

Connor's eyes widened in surprise.

He couldn't breathe.

******

Dawn sat perched atop Connor, her legs straddling him where he lay on her bed.

However, Connor wasn't enjoying himself. Mostly because his girlfriend was trying (and succeeding) to 

strangle him.

Her eyes bored into his, tears running down her cheeks. Her hair was messed up and bits of it hung over her 

face.

Connor watched the emotions, hatred, anger and pain, flitting over her face, trying to think of a way to calm 

her down.

He could have gotten her off him easily enough, but he couldn't risk hurting either her or the baby.

He tried to speak, but found her iron grasp on his neck prevented this.

He watched as her face dimmed and blackness feel across his vision.

__

Holy shit! She's really going to strangle me!

He had to shock her back into herself. She didn't really want to kill him after all.

Her face was just a light smear in his rapidly fading vision. He could hear her breathing, but it was as 

though his ears were blocked.

_ I have to stop her._

With his last shred of energy, Connor pushed himself up in her grasp and kissed her.

The hands around his throats tightened for a moment, then loosened.

Connor fell back onto the bed and gasped for air, stars dancing across his vision.

He was dimly aware of Dawn sobbing above him.

A minute later he realised her tears where falling onto his face.

He opened his eyes and looked up at her. She looked completely normal again.

"Oh god Connor! I'm so sorry!.. I almost killed you!"

He smiled weakly and coughed, "yes, you did."

She let out a strangled sob and covered her mouth with her hands. "oh god.."

She sat up and made to run off. Connor raised a hand with his lightening speed and caught an arm.

He held her where she was for a moment then pulled her down so she lay on top of him again, and wrapped 

his arms around her, holding her there.

She cried into his shirt, her whole body shaking as sobs racked her.

"I'm so sorry Connor! I was just.. so angry! I don't know why.."

Connor, still catching his breath answered softly, "I do. But it's not important right now."

_ pregnant mood swings and super powers don't mix.. I'll have to be careful not to upset her.._

He buried his face in her hair for a moment, inhaling the sweet fruity smell of her shampoo, then, hearing 

her crying was still as strong as ever, rolled over so she lay underneath him. He couldn't bare to see her 

crying.

Her eyes glanced up at him in shame, she looked away, avoiding his gaze as tears ran from them.

Connor gently kissed her cheeks, wet with her tears, and shh'ed her. 

He felt her crying slow. Seeing distraction was working, he kissed her roughly, his mouth pressed hard 

against hers as his tongue flicked against her, coaxing her to respond. After a moment she kissed him back, 

forgetting for a moment what had just happened, suddenly aware of where they were and the way Connor's 

body pressed into her own. 

She felt herself growing hot as his tongue entwined with her own, and tried to pull her arms free from 

where he held them down. 

_I have to keep her distracted for a while at least.._

He ignored her and deepened their kiss even further, making her moan into his mouth as he kissed her so 

hard it almost hurt 

She finally managed to pull an arm free of his grasp and twisted her fingers in his hair, holding his face 

where it was. She felt his free arm slide under her shirt and rub up and down her side, the rough calluses on 

his hands leaving little scratches. 

She groaned and raised her knees, spreading her legs in an unconscious reaction to his touch. 

She gasped as she felt his arousal pressing into her through his jeans. Connor moaned and faltered in their 

kiss, his head falling down to her neck.

The sound of his panting breath was hot against Dawn's skin. She could feel a growing heat in her crotch 

and knew that there was no way she would let him leave this bed until he'd filled the aching hole inside 

her.

Connor suddenly licked her neck, bringing another gasp from within her. He paused then kissed her soft 

neck, his teeth pressing into the flawless skin leaving red marks. Dawn wriggled underneath him, her hips 

rising, rubbing him against her. Connor let out another moan, his teeth slipping and drawing a little blood. 

Dawn felt her breath coming in gasps, then Connor ground his hips against hers and she had to stifle a 

scream. "Oh god Connor…."

She felt dizzy and hot with the feelings Connor's body sent through her where they touched.

Connor's hand slipped up along her side and he began pulling up her shirt.

Dawn raised her arms and let him pull the tight singlet off her.

Connor paused and stared down at her. 

Dawn reached up and pulled him back down on to her, her lips meeting his in a kiss that was almost 

violent. She accidentally sucked upon the cut in his lip, tasting the metallicy tang of his blood in her mouth. 

Her hands slid over his shoulders and towards his waist, tearing at his shirt as she went.

Connor, too giggly with desire to react, let her tear the cotton from his body and was only dimly aware of 

throwing it away.

Dawn pulled him down into another kiss, and ground her hips against his. His head reeled at the sheer 

power of the feelings her body pulled from him.

He could feel the heat of her through their clothes, and the way his erection rubbed against her when she 

moved. Beneath him, dawn let out little noises and held him close against her. He could feel her hardened 

nipples through the thin lace of her bra.

He reached up and slid a hand under the bra his probing fingers finding a nipple. Dawn bucked beneath 

him. "Oh god.. Connor!…"

She suddenly sat and pushed him up before her. She pulled her bra off, revealing her breasts, which had 

grown larger and become more sensitive in the last few weeks. A fact that she hadn't really paid much 

attention to, but Connor had certainly noticed.

Connor felt his erection straining at his jeans. He wanted her so badly.

Dawn shoved him onto his back and roughly started undoing his fly.

Connor lay back, to shocked to move. He suddenly became aware of Dawn trying to pull his pants over his 

knees, and failing. He lifted his hips and kicked the jeans from the bed.

He reached down and undid dawn's pants, his hands lingering on her butt as he pulled them over her legs.

She sat and let him pull them completely away.

Connor paused, taking in the sight of Dawn, a fully awake Dawn, dressed only in a pair of tiny cotton 

panties. Her chest was rising and falling quickly with each ragged breath, and her eyes were clouded over 

with lust. 

Connor felt his arousal straining at his boxers. There was no way he'd be able to stop himself now.

Dawn pulled herself on his lap, her arms around his neck, her breasts pushed against his bare chest, her hot 

wet core rubbing against his erection threw her panties.

She looked deep into his eyes and pleaded, "connor…please… I need you."

That was the final straw for Connor, he pushed her back into the bed, his hand grabbing her panties and 

ripping them from her body. Dawn raised her legs at his sides and gasped as he rubbed into her through the 

silk of his boxers. Connor groaned and gently pressed against her. Dawn gasped louder, then raised her 

head, looking down at him, "Connor…no more playing.."

She rubbed against him to prove her point. 

Connor pulled his boxers off and settled back above her.

Dawn sighed and pulled him into her arms, her lips, wet and parted slightly masking a groan as he nudged 

at her entrance. "Oh god connor.."

Connor clenched his teeth as he felt her warm surround the head of his penis, she was so warm. He couldn't 

think of any words to describe what he was feeling, so he just murmered dawn's name in her ear

Beneath him Dawn let out a feeble cry.

He paused, forcing himself to wait, and then slowly entered her fully. As she closed around him, he let out 

a moan and kissed her passionately. "oh god dawn.. you feel so good…"

She moaned beneath him, only dimly aware of his words as he moved within her, filling the ache.

He ground against her and she bucked underneath him as he rubbed against her clit.

She'd never felt anything like this, except in that dream… but this was even better.. if that was possible.

She felt the heat of Connor's body as he pressed down on top of her and began thrusting inside her, slowly 

and deeply.

The feeling was unbearable, she wanted him too badly to take things slowly, "Connor.. deeper.. please.."

He answered by thrusting into her quickly she stifled a scream and her back twisted underneath her. Connor 

just groaned into her shoulder, not believing how amazing she felt. 

He pumped into her quicker and deeper as he felt her breath quickening and her moans were replaced by

little yelps.

He could feel himself beginning to come, and beneath him Dawn's body twisted, pressing up against him 

and she gasped and panted. Suddenly she froze, her eyes wide, but blind with ecstasy , little tears running 

down the side of her face.

Connor let out a weak yell as she clamped down around him, her muscles pumping against him, bringing 

him to his orgasm. He collapsed onto her, his body shaking.

Beneath him, Dawn panted and held him so tightly he thought she might never let him go..

After he'd caught his breath, he rolled off her and pulled her into his embrace.

Dawn just stared at him with wide eyes, amazed by the feelings she'd just felt, and completely exhausted.

"Connor…"

He smiled softly and kissed her, "you don't have to say anything."

Dawn nestled into him and pulled her doona up over them.

*****

AN: there.. thought I should make up for the distinct lack of citrus fruits in the last few chapters…

Next chapter..PLOT! (OH MY GOD!!)

=^x^= *meow!*


	23. Ch 22: Angel introduces the OP parenting...

Chapter 22.

Cordy sighed as she watched Angel striding across the foyer of the hyperion, phone in hand.

He'd been trying to ring Buffy's house for the last half an hour.

When he found the answering machine's tape was full, and he couldn't leave a tenth message, he gave a 

yell and threw the phone against the wall.

Fred, who was sitting with Lorne, continuing their attempted research about the monks, (a lot easier now 

that they had a physical description of the demon from Cordy's vision.) flinched and stared wide eyed at 

the pathetic pile of broken plastic at the foot of the wall that was the phone

She glanced at Cordy then looked back down at her book, implying Cordy, as Angel's girlfriend, should try 

and calm him down. Not her.

Lorne looked over at Cordy and shrugged.

The former higher being sighed and walked over to Angel, "Look angel, I'm sure they just went 

out. Buffy still has her patrols to do after all. Maybe they thought it would be safer if they all went."

Angel crossed his arms, "No, Connor is there. He's just as strong as Buffy. There would be no need for 

them all to go."

Cordy put her hands on her hips, "well, _Spike_, the _Vampire_, the _strong Vampire, LIVES _there and buffy still 

wouldn't leave Dawn just with him. She obviously thinks she shouldn't leave Dawn with just one person, 

so they'd take Connor and Dawn with them if they went out…Besides, imagine Spike's opinion of 

connor's babysitting skills.."

Angel sighed, "But.. They weren't home when I called 4 hours ago either! Where could they have been all 

night?! Patrolling doesn't take that long!"

Cordy shook her head, "They're probably just being overprotective! They do think of Dawn like their 

daughter after all..."

Angel snorted, "I still don't get how Buffy can trust Spike!"

Cordy huffed, "well! He has a soul! And, unlike other certain people I know, he went out and got one of his 

own accord, he didn't need to be cursed!"

Angel averted his eyes, "But still! Something is wrong!"

Cordy raised a hand, "excuse me! Seer over here! I am having no bad vibes, they are FINE!"

"Yeah, we'll.. maybe your powers aren't working!"

Cordy gasped, "excuse me!" She poked Angel in the chest, "YOU need to stop being so overprotective! 

Connor is FINE! Dawn is FINE! Buffy is FINE! Spike is FINE! EVERYONE IS FINE!"

Angel shrugged and turned, walking across the room.

Cordy smiled triumphantly , "good, just calm down Angel. We'll call them again in a few hours."

She paused as Angel walked across the foyer and opened his weapons cabinet. "Angel…? You're just 

going on patrol right?"

He didn't reply.

Lorne and Fred, who'd been pretending to be deaf for the last few minutes looked over at their boss.

Cordy groaned in defeat and sat down on the sofa, "I take it we are going on a little visit to Sunnydale 

then?"

In reply Angel picked up his favorite sword and swung it around a few times.

Fred stood and headed for her cross bow. Then looked sympathetically over at Cordy, "I'll go get Gunn."

Cordy glanced at her watch, "Angel, you do realise the sun comes up in an hour and a half?"

The vampire shrugged, "we'll spend the day at Buffy's house."

His seer gave a final exasperated sigh and went over to the cabinet to select some sort of weapon.

******

Spike opened his eyes and looked out at the window. It was almost Dawn. He sighed.

_Great.. now I'll be up all day… I really need to stop sleeping at night.._

He glanced down at Buffy lying next to him, a small smile playing on her sleeping features.

okay.. sleeping at night has it's advantages.. Buffy.

He sat up and scanned the bed side table for his cigarettes.

_Damn! Where did I leave them??_

He leant across the bed, careful not to disturb buffy and started feeling for them on her bedside table.

Eventually his hand encountered his pack of 12ml's, "aha!".

Buffy murmured and rolled over.

Spike froze for a moment, waiting for her to fall back to sleep properly.

He chuckled silently to himself.

Buffy hated his smokes, but if he was careful, he could have one in bed. 

_Heh heh.._

He pulled one out of the pack, then realised he hadn't grabbed his lighter.

"Shit!"

Buffy again rolled over, this time muttering a little louder, spike thought he heard the words 'shut up' in 

amidst her murmuring.

Again he waited, noticing how the sky had grown lighter, the sun was up.

Eventually he heard her breathing slip back into the deep and even rhythm of sleep.

Again he leant across her form and patted her bed side table in his search for his lighter.

He couldn't find it.

_Dammit! That was my favorite one too!_

It was a silver jet lighter he's stolen form some moron at a night club a couple of months before.

He sat back against the pillows and the head board.

"bollocks.."

(AN: ha ha ha!! 'bollocks' hee hee..*collapses in insane giggles*)

_ It must be in my pants.. but where the bloody hell are they?!_

He scanned the room for his leather pants, eventually spying them hanging over a couple of swords 

propped up in one corner. He always had trouble finding his clothes. He'd once found his shirt in the front 

yard, having been thrown out Buffy's window in a fit of passion one night.

_Should I risk getting up?…_

He looked longingly at his cigarette. _Yes._

Slowly, he pulled back the cover and put one leg out of bed.

Buffy didn't move.

In a flash of movement he was out of the bed.

He glanced back at Buffy.

She remained deeply asleep.

He smiled to himself and walked over and found his lighter.

He lit his smoke and took a drag, sighing deeply.

Slowly, with the contented smile of a satisfied chain-smoker, he headed back across the room.

He pulled up the covers, "Stop. You're not smoking in bed."

Buffy's eyes were still shut and she appeared to be asleep in ever aspect, but Spike froze.

"Um…. Luv?"

_Maybe she'd just talking in her sleep.._

"Don't 'luv' me Spike… no smoking in bed. You always ash on me."

"awww.. buffy! Just this once! I swear!"

The slayer opened her eyes. "no. If you must smoke, you're not doing it in here."

The vampire sighed in defeat and sat down heavily in a chair near the window.

"Fine!"

******

Connor was woken up by sunlight pouring threw Dawn's window.

He squinted into the bright light and buried his head under some of Dawn's hair.

"mm… your hair smells yummy…"

Dawn snuggled closer and let out a little yawn. "thank you.. I think.."

Neither attempted any more conversation and they both went back to sleep.

******

Angel parked the car in Buffy's driveway, next to Spike's beat-up blacked-out 'baby' and pulled his jacket 

over his head, making a dash for the door.

Gunn grabbed his axe and followed, muttering to fred, "what's the bet they're all asleep or something.."

His girlfriend nodded, "yeah, angel did overreact bit I think."

Cordy walked past them "a bit?! That's an understatement!"

Fred shrugged, "hey, should we bother waking up Lorne?" She jerked her thumb at the demon, who had 

passed out in the back seat.

Gunn shook his head, "nah, the screaming will wake him up I'm sure." He rolled his eyes.

Ahead of them Angel had opened the door.

Cprdy sighed, "Why couldn't he wait for Buffy to unlock it? Was breaking it down really necessary!?".

******

Angel silently pushed Buffy's door in and ran down the hall, sword held before him.

He could smell Buffy, Spike, Dawn and Connor.

_No demons.. good… but where are they?!_

He walked through the kitchen, then headed for the living room, figuring that would be where Connor 

would be sleeping.

Sure enough, the couch had a pillow and some blankets on it, but It looked un slept in.

Angel paused and smelt for Connor's scent.

_He was here.. hours ago though… will Dawn.._

He darted up the stairs, still not making a sound.

_Where are they!?!?_

He was panicky and couldn't seem to control himself enough to sense for Connor and the others.

_Maybe Cordy's right.. maybe they did go out on patrol… but the only reason they wouldn't have come _

home would be if something bad happened..

He headed along the hallway, quite certain he'd find the bedrooms empty, already thinking of where they 

might be, 

_probably in that underground place in the graveyard.._

******


	24. Ch 23: adios nicht ist fur dich

Chapter 23:

Cordy left Gunn and Fred to search the ground floor and followed Angel up the stairs.

__

I feel like such a moron.. I hope buffy doesn't kill me… 

She quickened her pace and caught up with her hyperventilating boyfriend at Dawn's bedroom door.

He was rattling the door knob. 

He glanced up at cordy, "It's locked!"

Cordy rolled her eyes, "Oh really? You mean 18 year old girls lock their rooms?! My God!"

Angel didn't respond to her sarcasm, "I'll have to break it down…"

*****

Spike sat in his chair, hardly even aware of his cigarette. He was too distracted by Buffy.

She'd rolled over and gone back to sleep, but in doing so, had exposed one of her breasts.

He puffed quickly on his smoke, eager to finish it and get back to bed, not noticing the noises coming from 

downstairs.

*****

Cordy gasped as Angel leant against the door frame, preparing to knock it down.

"Angel! Stop that right now!"

The vampire paused, "Look, you go check on Buffy and spike" she pointed up the hall, "and I'll check on 

dawn.."

Angel pulled back and frowned at her, "but.. why? I'm right here?"

"Be-Cause.. it isn't appropriate for a MAN to break down a teenage girls room! She probably locked it for 

some privacy! I will check on her!.. now go!"

Angel shrugged and silently jogged up to Buffy's room.

_Women… I still don't get them after all this time.._

He stopped in front of Buffy's room and tried the door, it was locked.

He smiled, Cordy couldn't get mad at him if she wasn't here..

He leant against the door until the lock gave way, and silently pushed the door open.

He gave a very un-angelish little scream and took a step back into the hall.

He tried to pull his eyes away from the sight that greeted them in Buffy's room, but was transfixed with 

terror.

Buffy lay with her back to him, but very obviously naked. He surprised himself with a slight pang of 

saddness, remembering what he and buffy had lost.

All such thoughts were driven from his mind when his eyes slid to the armchair next to the heavily 

curtained window.

Spike sat in it, completely naked, smoking a cigarette.

At Angel's sudden entrance his face had frozen in simple shock.

Angel finally spoke, "What the hell's going on here!?"

Spike shrugged, "well peaches, I'm having my morning smoke. Now the real question is, WHAT THE 

BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?!? "

Buffy groaned and sat up, pulling her covers up as she did so. She glanced over at Angel and a look of 

utter confusion slid over her face, "Angel!? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?!"

Angel "Well obviously the reason no-one answered the phone for 5 hours is now clear."

Buffy looked even more confused, "huh?"

"I called you're house! No-one answered in 5 hours! I was slightly concerned about the well being of my 

son!"

Spike shrugged, "so? Juniors quite capable of looking after himself, I doubt he needs you baby-ing him."

Angel frowned, "Why are you defending Connor? I thought you hated him?"

The vampire shrugged, "I just got to know him a bit better.. takes after Darla.. not you."

Buffy smirked, "Actually, he decided connor was 'okay' when he and spike beat up on some footballers for 

insulting Dawn."

Spike looked over at Buffy, "Hey! You were in on that too!"

Angel sighed, "you've spent the week beating up football players?"

Buffy crossed her arms, "No! I merely slapped one of their girlfriends!"

Angel raised an eyebrow, "Their girlfriends were involved?"

Buffy started to answer, but angel raised a hand, silencing her, "No, don't worry.. I don't want to know.." 

he paused, "buffy, I think you should stop watching Jerry Springer, it's obviously beginning to affect you."

Buffy pouted, "Hey! It has not!"

Spike chuckled and finished his cigarette.

Angel looked over at him, "Um, Spike… Could you at least put some pants on?"

Buffy seemed suddenly aware of Spike's nakedness and started blushing.

The vampire shrugged, "My room. You don't knock, I don't get dressed." He smiled and lit another 

cigarette.

Angel shook his head slightly, "I'll remember that logic the next time you visit Spike.."

Spike smirked, "sure peaches, just make sure your seer does too." He winked.

Buffy chuckled, knowing that Spike actually disliked Cordy for being a 'snobby little know it all' and 

didn't really want to see her naked.

Angel's mouth dropped open, "Don't you speak about Cordelia like that!"

Spike sneered, "what you gonna do about it?"

Buffy raised her hands. "Stop it you two!" She looked over at Angel, "Now, if you'll just leave us alone for 

a minute we'll get dressed."

Spike snorted.

"Or at least, _I _will.. I'm not so sure about Spike..but hey!"

Angel nodded and retreated from the room, pulling the door as shut as it would get on its semi-broken 

hinges.

He looked back down the hall, Dawn's room was slightly open. 

_I'll go check on Cordy and dawn.. maybe they've found Connor._

He headed quietly down the hall.

******

Dawn groaned and buried her head Connor's shoulder, trying in vain to block out the incessant knocking 

that was piercing her consciousness She could feel Connor stirring beneath her.

__

If I ignore it.. it will go away… yes.. that's right..

But she felt Connor sit up underneath her, so she tightened her hold on him, getting pulled up so she was 

still resting against him, despite the fact that he was know sitting up.

"Dawn? Are you awake?"

She sighed deeply, raised her head from were it had been resting on his shoulder and looked up at him, "I 

am now.."

He smiled down at her then yawned and scratched his hair, which was a complete mess, ignoring the 

strands which kept falling over his face.

Dawn smiled back and reached up to give him a kiss. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey! Dawn! Open the door already!!"

Connor broke of their kiss and frowned at the door. "Damn.. I was hoping I imagined Cordy's voice."

Dawn glanced fearfully at the locked door, "Should we answer it?"

As if on cue cordy yelled out again, "And yes, I know Connor is in here, but if you let me in now, I will 

refrain from telling everyone else in this house!"

Connor sighed, "Fine!"

He disentangled himself from dawn, quickly located his pants, and opened the door.

Cordy took in the state of Dawn's bedroom, not to mention Dawn, and shook her head slightly.

She quickly darted into the room and pulled the door too.

She sighed, "teenagers!"

She glanced over at Connor, "do you know if it I hadn't guessed what was going on 

in this room and convinced your father that I should check on Dawn and not him, Angel would have 

busted the door down a couple of minutes ago?!"

Dawn started to blush, "um.. thanks Cordy.. but.. how did you know?"

She smiled, "I too was once a pretty18 yr old girl Dawn.." Dawn raised an eyebrow sceptically, "Okay, I'm also 

a SEER.. that helped too.."

Connor sat back down on the bed next to dawn and wrapped an arm around her.

Cordy sighed, "hello? There is no time for the cuddles! Like, Get dressed already! Unless you'd like too 

explain yourself to a much less sympathetic audience.. Angel.. Buffy.. Fred.. Gunn.. and oh, "she glanced at 

Connor, "Mister 'I-Will-Castrate-You-Connor', Spike."

Connor shuddered and started looking for his shirt. Dawn disappeared under the covers and reappeared 

with a bra and top on. "Um, Cordy, pass us my pants would you?"

The seer sighed and handed them over. Dawn pulled them under the covers and wriggled around a bit, then 

emerged fully dressed.

Connor scratched his head and glanced shyly at his 'mother', "Um, so.. should we head downstairs?"

Cordy shook her head, "No, I need to talk to you two about something."

Angel appeared in the doorway, "talk about what?"

Connor and Dawn stiffened.

Connor gave a nervous laugh, knowing that Cordy was referring to those bizarre dreams, and possibly the 

fact that Dawn was pregnant, she was a seer after all. "Dad! What are you doing here?"

_Please let her not say anything.._

Angel walked over and gave Connor a brief, hug, crushing the air out of his son's lungs.

Connor felt himself blush, he still wasn't used to such displays of his father's love. 

Dawn decided now would be a good time to change the subject before Angel guessed what his son was 

doing in her room, "Um, why don't you guys go and grab some breakfast? I just wanna have a quick 

shower and change." She looked down at her rumpled clothes, "I ended up sleeping these."

Cordy smiled, "sure Dawnie. Come on guys."

She guided Angel and Connor from the room.

Dawn sighed and sat down on the bed, and tried to make her heart stop racing. First of all, she'd had sex the 

night before. In the very bed she was sitting on. Then she and Connor had almost been caught. She was a 

big nervous wreak.

_Why am I so nervous!? Nothing bad happened, I should be really happy.. not all anxious and freaking _

out..

She walked over to her wardrobe, the shattered wood of the sides reminding her of her violent mood swing 

the night before.

_What's wrong with me!??! First I try to kill Connor.. then I sleep with him!?_

She gathered up a clean pair of jeans and a tight top then headed for the bathroom.

It was when she had gotten out and was drying off that she realised something, she should have gotten her 

period almost two weeks ago.

She tried to calm herself as she slid into her clothes and brushed her hair, 

_That doesn't meant anything you idiot Dawn! You were a virgin until last night remember?_

She thought back over her and Connor's love making and realised another thing, 

__

it didn't hurt. I wasn't a virgin!.. But that's impossible! I mean, I would know surely!? The only other 

thing that I've ever done that was like sex was that dream.. and it was just a dream!!

Then she realised something else, she'd had that dream two weeks ago exactly. A few days before her 

period was due. When, according to her old biology teacher, a woman was at her most fertile. And now 

having really had sex with Connor, she was suddenly aware of just how Life-Like it had been..

_Oh god! Please let this not be some weird magically thing! I don't want to be pregnant! _

She headed back to her room, taking deep steadying breaths, 

_No way, just because miracles like that do sometimes happen.. like how Connor was conceived.. Doesn't _

mean it's going to happen to me! I'll just ask Connor if he had that dream, and then I'll know for sure I'm 

just being an idiot!

She nodded to herself, _After all, I'm only 18, my period isn't completely regular yet…_

But as mush as she tried to convince herself other wise, she knew _something _was going on..

She opened her door and threw her dirty clothes in a pile on the floor.

It was then she noticed someone else was in the room. She whirled around and was shocked into silence.

Standing in front of her door was a tall monk dressed in brown.

She turned to her window. Another one stood there.

Her eyes went wide and she opened her mouth to scream but felt it blocked by the hand of the taller monk.

He gently blocked her mouth and quietly spoke into her ear, "Great Lady, we do not wish you harm, but if 

you scream… we will kill your lover the moment he enters this room."

The other monk walked over to join them, "Do you understand? We have the power to kill anyone in this house."

Dawn nodded against her captors arm and he released her.

She took a step away from them, "Who are you kidding?! There's no way you two could defeat The Slayer, 

William the Bloody, Angel and The Destroyer!"

The monks both smiled quietly, "And how would you know that? You know nothing of the powers we possess."

Dawn looked hard at both of them, _Are they bluffing?_

"Well, if you don't want to hurt me, why are you here!? And what have you and your little cult been 

plotting?"

The monks smiled warmly at her the shorted one replied, "Why O-holiest lady, we have come to deliver 

you and your son into your destiny!"

Dawn's mind whirled, "what?!"

She was only dimly aware of the other monk chanting something out of an old book, she was too distracted 

by the realization that the odd feeling in the pit of her stomach wasn't just a figment of her imagination. 

She was pregnant. 

Suddenly everything feel into place, her child was the Giver… he'd given her the huge power she'd

had lately… And they'd come to take him.

"Oh god.."

Suddenly she snapped back to reality when she saw her floor had sunk into a huge gaping hole.

She recognised what it was instantly, a portal between worlds.

She stepped back and bumped into the other monk, the taller one.

She held her hand almost fondly, his hand was cold… like Spike.. Dawn peered into the hood of his robe. 

She recognised the look of his features, he was a vampire.

"You're a vampire!"

A look of self loathing flitted over his featured, "Yes. But I have joined the holy cause of the master. Now 

lady, come."

With that he stepped into the portal, pulling Dawn with him.

She tried to resist, but in her shock and horror, she slipped and fell forward after him,

Her mouth forming the only word that had any real meaning to her.

******

AN: **oOooOOOOooo..**

dawn finally figured out about _the thing with the thing_.. (I just like saying that..) the plot thickens!

(sort of…)

this chapter took a bit longer than the others.. sorry … I had this stupid critique thingy at art collage..

*mutters evilly about snobby lecturers*

so I spent all last week painting stuff (OH YEY.)

so yes.. any suggestions for plot ey people? I think I'll wrap this up soon.. must think of a cool ending thou!

=^x^= *insert that weird trilling noise a cat makes*

so yes.. please review! I like hearing what ppl think I should do with this story.. even if u don't like it much!


	25. Ch 24: Spike! Pants! Now!

Chapter 24:

Cordy, Angel and Connor found gunn and fred in buffy's kitchen.

Gunn had his arms wrapped around her and was tickling her.

Fred was letting out little high pitched squeals.

(AN: yes.. the kitchen is possessed by a tickling demon..)

Angel rolled his eyes. "I take it you two _did _search the ground floor?"

Fred blushed and readjusted her glasses, "um.. sure did Angel!.. didn't we charles?"

Gunn muttered something about overreaction and then gave Connor a wave, "Connor! Not dead I see?"

Connor raised an eyebrow, "why would I be dead?"

Cordy snorted and started searching buffy's cupboards for coffee, "Oh, ask your overprotective father, he 

was convinced you'd all been taken to some underground lair in the middle of the night."

Angel sat down and looked slightly embarrassed, "hey! I was mildly concerned, not over-protective!"

Cordy, now in the process of making coffee gave a little laugh, "Angel! You made us drive all the way 

from L.A at 4am in the morning! If that's 'mildly concerned' I'd hate to think what you'd be like if you 

R_eally_ thought Connor was in danger."

Angel started to reply but was cut off by Fred giving a scream.

Gunn turned towards her, "baby!? What's wrong?!"

The woman just pointed mutely at the kitchen door, her eyes wide.

Everyone in the room turned and looked out into the living room.

Spike was in there. 

He still hadn't put any clothes on.

He smirked and gave a little wave.

Before anyone could say anything however, a loud thumping announced someone on the stairs.

Buffy came down them running, holding a pair of Spike's leather pants in her outstretched hands, "please 

Spike! I know Angel upset you, but please! PUT SOME PANTS ON!"

The vampire leant against the door frame, looking utterly relaxed, "nope, this is my house, and I'm quite 

comfortable in what I'm wearing right now." He looked into the kitchen, "morning all, lovely day isn't it?"

Cordy, after managing to close her jaw, picked up a teatowel and threw it at his lower regions.

Snapped out of stunned horror, everyone else made a series of 'ew's and assorted noises of disgust.

Buffy huffed and marched after Spike in the kitchen, "Look Spike! You've made your point! I'm sure 

Angel will knock the next time he breaks into out house and walks into our bedroom! Now, please! Put 

some pants on!"

Spike shrugged and headed for the fridge for his breakfast.

Buffy sighed, "SPIKE!! PANTS! NOW!!"

The vampire ignored her.

Connor got an idea and grabbed the pants off a startled buffy, and followed Spike, focusing very hard on 

the back of his head.

"Hey Spike, Do you really want Dawn to see you naked?"

Spike paused, the thought of horrifying his niblet ticking over in his mind.

Connor tossed the pants at him and Spike shrugged and put them on, "I s'pose not."

Just as Spike was doing up his fly and everyone in the room was letting out a collective sigh of relief, 

Dawn's voice came screaming from upstairs.

"CONNOR!!"

Everyone froze, and before anyone could say anything, Connor had vanished upstairs.

Fred looked slightly dizzy, "Woah! Where'd he go?"

Gunn shrugged, "super speed I guess…man, that girl has him wrapped around her little finger!"

Buffy frowned at him and she and Spike quickly ran upstairs.

Cordy shook her head and dragged Angel off after Buffy.

Gunn turned to Fred and shrugged, "what did I say?"

******

Connor heard the real horror in Dawn's voice, and ran to her room as fast as he could.

What greeted him was worse then he had feared.

A fierce wind was swirling around her room, ripping at the curtains and pulling the furniture around.

Connor appeared just in time to watch Dawn vanish down a portal at the foot of her bed, pulled by two of 

the monks in brown robes.

Her eyes, wide with terror, locked onto his for a split second and she mouthed something, then she was 

gone.

Connor made to follow her, but with a flash of blinding light, the portal closed.

He looked around the room blankly, as if he expected to see Dawn hiding in the corner or something, but 

he knew what had just happened.

The Destroyer, completely oblivious of the devastation of Dawn's room around him, the bed thrown up 

against the wall, her clothes and belongings scattered everywhere, knelt down on the carpet where she had 

vanished.

His face paled with shock and disbelief.

_I failed her… I swore I would not let them take her… but I have.. she is gone! Our son will be sent to _

hell…

That last thought brought memories of his own 'childhood' fresh into his thoughts.

He felt his heart beat pick up at the realization that Dawn and his son would probably live though exactly 

the same things.

__

Oh god.. not that.. anything but that..

He thought back to his dream of their son. It hadn't just been a dream then…

It had been a vision. His son really would be raised just as he had. In Quar-toth.

And then be sacrificed.

_It has come true… Dawn is in Quar-toth… that means the rest of that dream will come true…everyone _

will die… it is too late.. I should have told them.. I should have warned them..

Tears pricked his eyes and he let them fall, a huge pain welling up inside of him. He felt as if his very heart 

was being burnt form his body.

He suddenly felt a strange calm settle over him. He didn't realise, but his eyes were blanked out by milky 

white. He spoke quietly to himself but didn't hear his own words, "They will die then. As will the others."

The strange feeling of calm spread and Connor felt his grip on awareness slipping.

He could feel others in the room..

Suddenly spike's hands were on his shoulder's, shaking him violently.

He dimly heard the vampire speaking, asking what he meant, what had happened, where was his niblet?

But Connor couldn't form any words to reply.

What could he say?

******

Cordy sat in the backseat of the car, Connor leaning silently against her shoulder.

He hadn't spoken all day.

Cordy and Angel had followed Buffy and Spike upstairs. They'd had arrived in Dawn's room to find 

Connor kneeling on the ground, his eyes a clouded white.

All he would say was "They're gone. Everyone will die."

Then he was silent. His eyes returned to normal, but he seemed to be in a daze of some sort.

Cordy frowned as she concentrated on remembering every tiny detail of the morning.

_When he saw Connor's eyes, Angel suddenly stiffened beside me…then he looked at my eyes… does that _

mean anything?

She shook her head, that could mean anything. She focused on remembering again.

Connor hadn't told them what had happened to Dawn, although Fred later added that her room looked as 

though there'd been a portal in it.

Buffy had grown so angry and upset, she'd started to cry with frustration and lashed out at Connor. Who 

still didn't react.

When Lorne finally emerged from the car around lunch, he'd been devastated to learn what had happened, 

and cordy could tell the demon was now blaming himself.

Angel was worried his son had been affected by some spell of something, and just as over protective as 

he'd been the night before, had insisted on taking him home, 'where he'd feel better'.

So they'd left Sunnydale.

Left Buffy and Spike in hysterics, both arming themselves and planning to go back to the underground lair 

they'd found and look for Dawn.

Cordy sighed, this was never supposed to happen this way,

_How could they take Dawn like that!? Angel, Connor, Buffy and Spike were all there!.. I never thought _

they'd wait till she was being guarded by everyone! I mean, that's basically all the big names in anti-

evil..Surely they would have taken her when she was alone!?

But there was no logic to explain what had happened ever since Dawn had arrived at the Hyperion a month 

before.

Cordy sighed again and looked down at Connor.

His wide eyes reflected the light of the city lights as he blandly looked out of a scratch in the paint window.

Up front Angel suddenly broke the silence, pulling Cordelia out of her reverie.

"Cordy, there's some thing I need to speak to you about... I think Connor had a vision this morning."

Cordy gasped, "how!?"

Angel continued, "Cordy, whenever you have a vision your eyes turn white. Connor's did when he said that 

everyone was going to die."

Lorne's head snapped up, "what?! His eyes turned white? Why didn't anyone mention this?"

"I was the only one that noticed… and knew what it meant. I didn't think Buffy and Spike would 

appreciate hearing a premonition involving dying when Dawn's been taken."

The demon frowned. "Don't you think we should have hung around and helped them look for her?"

Fred shook her head, "No. Dawn isn't in Sunnydale. She isn't even in this world. I know that there was a 

portal in her room. The most we can help is to try and find out where she got sent… and figure out a way to 

get her back.."

Lorne nodded then glanced across the back seat at Cordy, meeting her eyes for a second.

"Angel, there's some other stuff we should probably tell you.. About Dawn and Connor."

******

AN: My computer had a total moron attack… I couldn't get my net working..

L *satanat cries about her internet deprival * L 

I think Kazaa contaminated it… damn you addictive downloading!!

(I only recently discovered the video clips.. hee hee..)

*satanat shakes a fist at kazza*

(meanwhile I probably fucked it up myself…dum de dum..)

so yeah.. I don't know when it will be working **Properly** again..

but I'll try and update like normal… 


	26. Ch 25: But when you're gone I grow colde...

Chapter 25:

Dawn felt her lips twist into a contented smile as Connor wrapped his arms around her, the warmth of his 

skin against her sending shivers down her spine.

He whispered in her ear but Dawn couldn't understand the words. The sensation of his warm breath upon 

her bare skin was enough for her though.

She pulled him closer, tucking her head into his shoulder inhaling the clean, fresh smell of his skin.

Just holding him was truly perfect to her. She turned into face him, and was suddenly his neck struck by the 

very tempting idea of kissing his neck. 

Dawn gently pressed her lips against his skin, laying little kisses up along his collarbone and neck..

Connor flinched a little then relaxed, his whisperings continuing, with a little more urgency now.

Dawn ignored his words and parted her lips, letting her tongue dart over his skin, tasting him.

Connor's voice paused again.

Dawn smiled to herself and continued her attentions upon his neck, now giving him little lovebites.

The soft words in her ear had stopped completely now.

Then she felt Connor's lips just in front of her ear. His breath tickled her skin and when he again whispered 

she heard his words, _"dawn.. please.. listen.."_

She frowned, fighting against her consciousness, _No.. I don't want to hear…_

As if he could read her mind he replied, _"and there are things I'd much rather do than speak too Dawn"_

Something in his voice, a slight strain..a sadness, made Dawn pay attention.

She sighed and lifted her head, tilting her forehead against his own. "_Yes Connor?"_

She felt his eyelashes flutter against he skin, and his lips parted to speak, almost touching hers.

Dawn let out a soft groan of longing. The urge to kiss him was almost unbearable.

Connor's arms sifted around her and he pulled her closer at the waist, his other hand sliding up her neck 

and pulling her face up a little. "_Dawn, I'm sorry.."_

Confused, she looked up into his bright blue eyes which were slightly hidden behind his ragged fringe.

Her fingers softly tucked his hair back so she had a clear view of his face.

Those eyes were filled with sadness and pain.

"_Sorry? Sorry for what?"_

dawn's mind quickly darted around, trying to figure out what he was talking about, _Does he regret being _

with me?

Connor shook his head softly and he gently lay a kiss upon her lips.

Dawn heard his voice again, a whisper, _No Dawn, don't be stupid. You know how much I love you._

For some reason the fact that she could hear his words in her mind didn't shock her and she relaxed into his 

kiss, her lips relishing the familiar feel of him against her.

His kisses were softer and more gentle than normal.

For some reason Dawn felt a heavy sadness weighing deep inside her. She wrapped her arms around 

Connor tightly, eagerly losing herself in him, hiding from that horrible feeling inside.

But again Connor's voice rang softly inside her mind, this time almost broken with grief, _I failed you _

dawn.. and I knew about him.. I tried to tell you.. but… I couldn't.

His hand caressed her stomach and he pulled out of their kiss slightly.

His face was etched in sorrow and failure.

Dawn felt tears prick her eyes. To her great surprise, she could see them reflected in Connor's as well.

She knew he expected her to be angry, but she didn't really care.

She kissed him softly and drew back again, looking deep into his eyes, "_Connor, as long as you love me, _

you could never fail me."

He smiled softly but Dawn could still see the sadness in his eyes.

******

Dawn awoke to pitch darkness and the cold.

She shivered and reached out for Connor.

Then her memories came flooding back to her.

It had been months since Connor had last slept by her side. The only place she saw him was when she slept.

It wasn't enough. 

The room seemed even colder than before and she shivered again, pulling her blankets in close around her.

She felt nearly insane at her parting form him, so intense was her longing for him.

Choking back tears, she rolled over onto her side, curling up into a ball.

Her separation form Connor was killing her. She had never felt as lost as she did here, without him.

She thought back to the feeling of his touch, so soft and gentle and felt even more pain well up inside her.

A loud sob escaped her throat and she gave herself up to her tears.

******

Jared looked through the darkness at the sleeping girl.

She had tossed and turned all night, calling out for her lover.

He shook his head softly. 

He had been guarding her ever since he and one of the other brothers had taken her from her house and had 

grown quite fond of her.

_It is a pity that we have to hurt her so.. But still, it will be worth it in the end. She will understand when _

the time comes and she sees the great part her child must play to bring her world into the light…

His vampire senses picked up her quickened breathing and heart rate as Dawn awakened.

She reached out across her large bed.

_No doubt looking for that boy._

Realising she was alone, the girl rolled over, pulling her knees up and almost hugging herself.

She was silent for a few minutes, then she began to cry.

Jared felt a great pity for her.

She had not adjusted well to her new life.

They had taken her almost two months ago and still, every night as he watched over her, Jared saw her cry 

with despair.

When she was awake she never showed any sigh of being any thing less than perfectly under control. She 

hid behind a cool façade.

Jared and the others of the brotherhood that cared for her and watched over her had all grown very attached 

to her.

They saw her suffering, and admired how well she hid it from the Lord.

Jared sighed, he wished their was some way he could comfit her.

He could smell her tears, wet and fresh.

To his surprise, Dawn sat up. She shivered. _She must be cold.. I suppose it would be in this dimension.._

She looked blindly out across her room, she didn't know he was there after all.

Her voice rang out clear, but broken with depression. "I want to die."

Jared frowned, _She had better not try to kill herself…_

But Dawn just sat silently for a few minutes, obviously thinking things over, then collapsed back into her 

pillows, once again crying.

Jared felt himself relax slightly.

__

good. No suicide attempts tonight

*****

Dawn lay back down, her head sinking into her pile of pillows.

She pulled a cover around herself and tried to get back to sleep.

Lately her separation from Connor had grown much worse and she was worried she wouldn't be able to 

keep up her detachment to the demon 'Lord'.

_If he sees me sad, he will think me weak.. and then he will see how easy it would be to hurt me…I must try _

and stay controlled when i am not alone..

She wrapped her hands around her belly, which had began to show.

She could sense her son there. He felt like connor and that was a small comfit.

_I must escape from here soon… Before I am too fat to be able to fight._

Dawn knew if she was forced to stay here much longer, her increasing depression might get the best of her. 

She also knew trying to escape could mean hurting her unborn child.

She sighed.

_There is no point worrying about that though is there? I have no way too escape.. so why should I even _

think about it? I have no way of making a portal back home..

She smiled to herself, _ha! I'm the fucking KEY and I can't think of a way to open a portal.. how _

pathetic..

There was always her blood… but she didn't know how exactly that would work.. where would it open a 

portal to? Would it kill her? How would she shut it?

She rolled over.

_Maybe it would be best if I waited until my son is born.. then escape… I must spend the rest of the time _

until then figuring out how I can make a portal..I'm sure that demon 'lord' and all his stupid monks have a 

library.. maybe I'll be able to find a spell or something.

She shook her head slightly and buried her face underneath her pillows, whispering to herself, "Stupid 

monks. I can't believe they don't see through their precious 'master'… GOD! I mean, he's a fucking 

DEMON! He wants to kill everyone on earth! Not save them!"

With that she cleared her thoughts, trying to not think about Connor incase she began to cry again and 

focused on sleep, trying to ignore the constant chill in her bones.

She didn't see the troubled expression on her guard Jared as he sat hidden in shadows across the room.

_Demon?!… no.. she just doesn't understand what happened to him.. how he was cursed_

He is a great and holy man...

But, being a vampire, Jared knew he'd been ignoring a few things about his master.

*****

AN: yet another chappy

I hope people are still enjoying it… 

=^o^= *meow!*

__


	27. ch 26: jared? JARED? WHO THE FUCK IS JAR...

Chapter 26

Connor felt himself smile into the warmth of Dawn's neck as she lay wrapped in his arms, her long dark 

hair spilling over the pillows.

She sighed and nestled against him, murmuring his name.

Her long legs were entwined with his and she unconsciously rubbed his calf with one of her little feet.

Connor smiled again and nibbled her neck, causing her to sigh and murmur his name again.

His arms slipped down to her waist, which had returned to its normal delicacy after their son had been born.

Her bare stomach was hot against his hands, her fingers cool against his chest.

He could almost hear her blood singing her joy at being close to him, the same thick humming he could feel 

in his own veins. They belonged like this. Together.

He could dimly hear noises muffled as if by a great distance.

They were trying to wake him.

He frowned, concentrating on the sweet scent of dawn's skin and ignored them.

This was right, this was how it was meant to be. Dawn, sleeping in his arms.

Now, if only he could ignore what he knew was real and stay in this sweet delusion forever.

*****

Cordy sighed and gave up trying to get connor to respond to her.

Turning, she took one last look at him lying stiffly on his bed, his eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling, and 

left the room.

A week had passed and connor still refused to come out of his catatonic state.

He wouldn't speak, wouldn't react to anyone.

Angel was growing more and more upset, he hadn't even pretended to sleep in days, instead spending his 

days watching over his son. 

Fred and Gunn did their best to cheer him up, and spent their days searching through books, or even the 

streets.. hoping in vain to find something.. anything..

To make matters worse, Buffy and Spike had just arrived from Sunnydale.

After Dawn's disappearance they'd gone out on a rampage and killed every undead, (and some not) thing in 

town.

None of them knew where the slayer's sister had been taken, or if they did, not even the encouragement of 

william the bloody could convince them otherwise.

Now they were waiting for Cordy downstairs, hoping that she would have gotten something out of connor.

_great… now I have to go face them… _

Again, for maybe the hundredth time that day she found herself wishing she'd told everyone what she knew 

about Dawn and Connor from the start. 

_ Maybe if I hadn't been so selfish.. so worried about 'getting into trouble'.. then dawn would still be here _

with us, safe… And connor wouldn't be catatonic upstairs

All too quickly she found herself heading down the stairs to the foyer where everyone was busy searching 

through dusty books trying to find away to save dawn.

She paused, not wanting to disappoint buffy and spike, not to mention angel.

Long seconds turned into a minute and then Angel turned to face her slowly, his face hopeful.

"Cordy?"

The seer swallowed and shook her head not trusting her voice.

Angel's face fell.

The others all turned to face her, looking up from manuscripts and parchments, all expectant.

She took a deep calming breath. 

Buffy spoke up, "well cordelia? Anything?"

The seer blinked once, then replied evenly, 

"No. Nothing."

*****

Jared frowned and tried to ignore the noises and snippets of conversation he could hear drifting from the 

room in which his lord was speaking to lady dawn in.

Her voice, which was usually so calm and.. cold.. around the demon was loud and outraged.

"_What are you talking about you… you.. Filth!"_

"my lady. I am merely trying to make plans for our wedding. Surely you comprehend?"

"NO! I DO NOT "comprehend" !!

I am NOT marrying you! What stupidity would give you the idea that I would ever EVER consider such a 

thing!?!? 

YOU DISGUST ME!"

Jared grimaced, it appeared the lady's cool exterior had finally been broken.

_I just hope she calms down. He will not hesitate to hurt her now her son has been born.._

He had been there when she had given birth to the screaming human child, standing just outside her 

chamber, guarding her as usual.

He grimaced at the memory. She had been in labor for hours and hours.. for so long jared was sure that 

both she and the precious 'giver' would perish.

However, both she and the boy had been fine.

And from that night onward Jared had had to listen to not just the silent sobbing of dawn each night, but 

also the constant crying of the baby.

A loud smacking sound, followed by a thud brought the vampire out of his reverie.

He frowned.

He could smell blood. Her blood.

Quietly he turned and peered around the corner of the doorway and into the room.

Sure enough, Dawn lay on the floor, her eyes flashing murderously, blood dripping unheeded down her 

chin.

His lord stood with his back to Jared and Dawn, his fists clenched at his sides.

He had hit her.

Jared fought the urge to go and help the woman up.

_NO! I must not disobey the master.. he has the greater good of all at heart.._

Jared repeated this mantra, but for once, it didn't seem to have any meaning to him.

Dawn's voice, cold and calm once again broke through the silence. 

"_Yes, your such a *good* _man_ .. why on earth wouldn't I want to marry you?!"_

Jared saw the hunched figure of his leader straighten and turn back to face the woman. Jared's white face 

would have paled, if that were possible.

Where he usually saw the image of a tall, powerfully build man with a mane of red hair, stood, a _demon._

The girl had been right!

How many times had he heard her yell out in her sleep? Damming the demon that had brought her here?!

_Why didn't I believe her?… I knew she was talking the truth.. how could I have blinded myself to this?!_

The demon spoke again.

Jared heard his words for what they truly were, evil.

"**_GIRL…do not speak to me in such tones. I am your lord. I SHALL be your husband, and then I shall be _**

your GOD!"

The vampire tore his gaze away from the demon imposter and looked back at the lady.

Somehow she managed to look that vile creature in the eye.

The expression on her face was non-existent.

Jared unconsciously leant forward, eager to hear her no doubt witty comeback.

But Dawn stood, wiped the blood from her face and turned. Leaving the room.

She paused at the doorway and turned back to him, her voice still cold and emotionless,

"connor will kill you."

The demon growled. He knew that connor could kill him, at least, until he had taken the power of 

his son of course.

"**That boy? Ha! I am the lord of this realm! He holds no power here!"** he paused and smirked, **"If you know **

what is best for you and you're son. You will forget him."

Jared could almost see the anger radiating of dawn. For a moment he was worried she would try and attack the 

demon. But instead she turned away.

****

Dawn's guard quickly fell back into his position and watched her walk past him and out into the hall.

Silently he took his post two steps behind her.

In front of him he heard Dawn cursing and muttering to herself , "yeah.. well if the destroyer dosen't kill him, then 

the slayer will, or william the bloody will, or angel will…. Or.. or I will."

In those minutes walking behind the woman as she headed back to her chambers, jared the vampire decided 

something.

****

Dawn practically marched back through the winding halls of the huge cold stone building that passed as the 

demon's palace.

The floors were rough and unfinished, there where almost no windows, and the only source of light came 

from torches set into the walls.

She could hear the almost completely silent footsteps of her guard, jared behind her.

Normally he would speak to her, ask her about utterly mundane things like football and his favorite bands 

when he escorted her. But today, maybe he was angered at her for speaking against his precious master?

Or perhaps her was just respected her mood, which was of impotent rage, leaving her alone.

She could never tell with him. He was a polite vampire.

As she neared her rooms she could hear her son crying.

She sighed_, _

he might be bloody annoying.. but at least his crying means they haven't taken him off me … yet..

She stopped before her door and waited while jared undid the complicated locks.

Ony he and the demon had the keys as far as dawn could tell.

She caught sight of his some what determined expression and felt a shudder of fear pass through her.

_I've never seen him look so.. so… like a vampire… maybe he's been told to kill me… or maybe it's time… _

maybe they're gonna take him away from me tonight...

Dawn quietly slipped past her guard and into her darkened room.

They had made her leave the little boy alone. They always did.

It would make him stronger they said.

Dawn rushed to where the child lay in the middle of her large bed and pulled him into her arms.

The crying ceased instantly.

Behind her Dawn heard the snap of metal upon metal as her door locked.

She smiled as her baby and whispered softly to him, "well, looks like jared has locked us in for the night 

baby.. it's just you and me!"

Unbeknownst to her, jared hadn't taken up his post outside her room. He smiled sadly at the way dawn had 

taken to talking to her son. 

_The lady is lonely. She still cries out for his father.. connor.. during the night..though I had never heard _

her speak his name waking, until tonight.

"lady."

Dawn started and spun around to face the green eyed vampire.

_He never stays in the room with me.. he must have been ordered to so something.._

"Jared."

She had unconsciously shielded the child from him as she spoke.

The vampire frowned and sat down on her bed.

"..dawn…"

He had never called her by her name before, he was very english, excellent manners and all that.

She seemed even more startled.

"Look! I'm not here to kill or take anyone okay?"

Dawn blushed slightly, "yes, well, is there a reason you are here then?"

He nodded, "yes. I believe you."

Dawn's brows furrowed, "what do you mean?"

Jared cleared his throat, "I believe you. I see him for what he truly is. I cannot.. cannot believe how blind I 

was.."

He looked up at Dawn pleadingly, "You must understand, I'm only 25! I was turned when I was 19…on my 

way home from a club in london on the tube.. turned out the girl with me really did just want me for my 

body.. so to speak.. I understood what was happening to me…it disgusted me.. I knew about vampire's and 

demons, because my grandmother, my father's mother, was the slayer. 

Hell! My own brother was a watcher for a while! .." he paused and composed himself, "anyway, I suppose 

that's why I was able to resist the bloodlust.. partially.. I am not all that different a person from when I was 

alive… I think the slayer blood helped me.."

He looked up at Dawn to see if she was following him.

She was looking at him in wide eyed-shock.

He took an unnecessary deep breath and continued, "Anyway.. I was 20 when I met the lor.. that demon. 

He told me he was a priest, and that he could help me… my family had, of course, disowned me. I was 

dead to them… and he told me he could save my soul.. that's why i joined him. He was so.. convincing?"

Dawn blinked. Her english vampire of a guard was having a deep and meaningful with her?!? Sure, he'd 

always seemed pretty nice.. he kinda reminded her of spike, what with his tendency to use the word 

'bloody' and all… and she'd guessed, by his interest in football that he was only a newbie. But still.. it was 

pretty hard to understand.

She swallowed, "so, what are you saying.. Jared?"

The vampire stood, "I'm saying that I shall help you… I have a way to contact someone in your world. He 

will be able to open a portal for you and your son."

Dawn stared at him.

Jared smiled uncertainly, then she threw herself onto him, hugging him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Oh my god! Jared! Thankyou!!"

Jared would have blushed.

Her son meanwhile, who was look bemused, gurgled and waved his chubby arms in the air.

Jared nodded.

"I must go back outside. I will tell you when the portal shall be opened."

Dawn beamed at him and nodded as he walked back outside.

As jared took his post he heard her speak to the baby again, "Yes! Soon you're going to meet your daddy! 

He's the one who gave you those beautiful eyes!"

The vampire outside felt something that felt mysteriously like his heart twinge a little in.. jealousy?

Oh yes, _connor_. 

How could he forget?.. No doubt she'd be called out his name in her sleep in a few hours. And he'd be 

forced to listen to it. Listen to her call out her undying love for him. _Connor…Connor! I love you!_

He felt anger boil in him. He did not deserve her. _Connor…_

Oh how he hated that name…

__


	28. Ch 27: ahh so THAT's who Jared is!

Chapter 27

That night Dawn did not dream of Connor, instead she dreamed of bright green eyes and words spoken in a soft english accent. 

When she awoke, she remembered nothing.

__

"Hey Dawnie. Long time no see. Hop in the car and we'll catch up."

"You want me to get in your car?"

"Well, I can't exactly get out can I ?"

"um.. I guess not.."

"So, how's Connor and Liam?"

"Connor?.. he's fine.. but..liam??"

"yeaahh.. liam? You know, your.."

Dawn cut him off, "who are you!?"

there was a pause, "You don't remember me?"

"no…"

"oh."

Dawn saw a blur dash past her, leather jacket pulled over his head. Buffy called out, "Dawn! Comm'on! 

Let's go!"

Dawn waved, "Coming."

She looked at the blacked out window of the car for a minute, "um. Bye I guess."

*****

She sang her baby to sleep with her own special lullabies, (a bizarre medley of her favourite songs sung softly and quite often very off-key) 

and went to sleep almost as soon as her own head hit her mangy excuse for a pillow.

For once she did not drift to sleep in the early hours despondent and longing for Connor, because she new she would be home soon. 

She awoke a little after what passed for 'dawn' in the shitty little hell-hole that passed for the 'Lord's' personal 'realm'.

The baby had not woken her with his screams for the first time that she could remember.

Her heart began to race, and in the 3 or so seconds it took for her to locate her child, he mind had already mapped all the possible ways

he could be dead or gone, _'have they taken him?! Was Jared just a diversion to make me easier to get by?! _

Oh my god! What if he died in the night?!?! Did he get SIDS?'

He was however, sleeping on his back, drooling peacefully onto her sheets.

"I'm such a fricking moron sometimes.."

She smiled at herself and walked over to her barred window, with its lovely vista of a rocky seaside. 

Unfortunately, the water shone blood red in the weak morning light, and the cliffs were stained black with a particularly pungent breed of moss.

Below her on a balcony hewn roughly from the living rock, the monks were gathering for their morning mass.

Their Lord had not arrived yet, the amassed monks shifted around, muttering to each other, 

some glancing nervously at the crucified bodies of their more badly behaved brethren.

She watched their orderly brown lines with no particular interest, after all she'd been here nearly a year, it was getting a tad repetitive. 

As usual the demon took position on the very edge of the cliff and began his 'sermon'.

She knew he would babble on for at least an hour before he let his pitiful brainwashed monks leave.

Dawn's eyes narrowed and she scoffed, "Loser.."

Ignoring the goings-on below her, she instead daydreamed about Connor's reaction to her imminent return.

There was only one thing she was certain of and that was that Connor somehow knew what was going on, 

was keeping an eye on her, and no matter how everyone else treated her, he would welcome her and his son home with open arms and love.

She was still lost in such sappy thoughts when she heard the locks on her door click open one after the other.

*****

After he had spoken to the Lady Dawn Jared had left her door guarded by his usual replacement and made his way through the winding 

halls and passages of the great dank castle to his own small room up in the upper most level.

For the first time since he had set foot in the place some 4 1/2 years earlier, his eyes where open.

He saw the damp rough hewn rock for what it really was, comparable to an old sewer.

The solitary line of candles that lit the halls, (only ever on one side, to save the precious tapers) 

gave of a thick sickening odor of animal fat, and the uneven floor was slick and hid puddles in its shadows. 

Even his own room, which had always seemed comfortable, despite its sparseness looked and felt completely alien to him. 

The slimy walls of the room closed in on him like a prison cell, his bed hard and musty.

His evening meal sat waiting for him on his bare table. It was not, however the simple roasted meat and bread he was accustomed to, 

but a rank hunk of raw meat and a mouldy wedge of stone-like bread.

He could not bring himself to so much as poke it, let alone put it into his mouth.

_how have I have been so blind? I chose to waste my eternity here!? In this prison serving the very thing I hate?… _

what is the point of living on tasteless flesh,

denying myself the blood I long for in the name of all that is good, so as to be privy to an even greater evil?… 

I am a pathetic excuse for a human.

The vampire sighed and threw himself onto his bunk, which released a small cloud of dust in retaliation.

A mood of utter depression, comparable only to the way he had felt at the exact moment he realised he had been bitten by a vampire, 

settled upon him.

He lay motionless for the next 5 hours, too exhausted, too _hungry_ to move.

He would wait till the dawn sermon.

*****

The hyperion was eerily quiet. 

It was 4am. 

Angel and Gunn were out hunting something or rather, 

Cordelia, Lorne and Fred were asleep, and well, Connor was doing what he always did these days, being catatonic.

Downstairs in the lobby, the phone rang.

No-one picked up.

Eventually it went to the machine.

A man's voice radiated quietly from it. 

"_hello. I know I'm probably the last person you'd want to hear from right now, Angel. But I have some information… something you need to know. …."_

*****

Hours later Jared. forced his eyes open and stared across the room at the single shelf that lined his room.

On it sat his worldly belongings.

A black leather wallet and chain, containing some money, his bankcards, pizza vouchers his drivers license …all the remainders of his old life.

The outfit he had been wearing the last time he left his own house sat neatly folded beside it.

A watch with a flat battery lay on top of those.

And his car keys next to that.

A silver necklace of some sort lay coiled at the far end.

_Yep, that's all I'm gonna need to get started I guess.. no real need for much else.. I suppose I should just get this over and down with.._

Standing, he moved to pick up his grandmother's silver pendant.

For a moment he studied the plain silver chain looped over his fingers. Then his attention turned to the plain silver disc that hung from it.

Normally it would take months of preparation, 8 sacrifices and hours of chanting to activate the portal.

Now, all he needed was her blood. The blood of the key.

__

Dawn

His heart sand at the very thought of her.

*****

Startled from her reverie, Dawn looked expectantly at the door.

_No one ever comes during the mass.. Everyone must attend. Who is this?_

The girl unconsciously lifted her sleeping son and protectively wrapped him in her arms.

To her infinite relief, Jared appeared in her doorway.

To her infinite surprise, he was dressed like someone from a goth-bondage club.

She raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Jared.. you know I think you're a great guy, but if you think I'm gonna repay your kindness with weird kinky S&M shit.. You're sadly mistaken."

The vampire pursed his lips. "Well. These are the only clothes I have. This was what I was wearing when I was turned."

Dawn frowned slightly, her voice dying down,

__

opps.. he's probably a tad sensitive about how he died.. nice one Dawn..

"oh. Well.. um.. you look nice.. in a … kinky.. bondage.. sort of way…"

Jared's expression remained stony for a minute before breaking into a smile, "Thank you. I think."

Dawn blushed and busied herself attending to her son.

"Right. Well. I've made contact with someone on earth. They have prepared things for us on the other side.

Now, we should leave while the castle is deserted for the dawn mass. Our scent will be cold and they will be unable to follow us directly."

Dawn nodded, "Right, sure. But one question,"

The vampire looked at her.

"Um, how exactly are we going back?"

Jared took a few steps towards her, noticing the way she stepped backwards slightly in response,

and showed her the necklace he was wearing, "This. And your blood."

"My blood? You know how to do that without killing me?"

"No. Not really. I just know how to activate the pendant I wear. Usually it take months to open a portal. 

I just happen to recall from something my brother told me that your blood would cause the pendant to activate instantaneously." 

Seeing Dawn's confusion he added, "He was a watcher, read a lot of musty old magic books"

"Okaayy.. " Dawn paused, 

_ the way he talks.. it's as if this brother of his knew me personally…and he said his grandmother was the slayer.. and that his brother was a watcher…..wait a minute._

"Did you say your brother was a watcher?"

Jared nodded.

Realisation dawned on the girl's face.

"Oh my god! Your're Wesley's little brother!!"

Jared's green eye's widened.

*****

AN: oh my god! How many months was that? A year even.. god…

okay.. I really intend to finish this bastard of a story soon!

Really! I swear!

It's almost wrapped up anyway…

Anywayz, I would like to that to special readers who reviewed recently.. I can't remember you're names..

Sorry.. I know I suck.. anyway, they inspired me to actually finish!

Yey! Go them! =^x^= *meow*


	29. Ch 28: poor missundertood wesley

Chapter 28

In his dreams Connor was standing on a blackened cliff, looking out over a blood red ocean.

He could feel a cold breeze tugging at his hair. The air smelt rancid.

Hunched over the hillside behind him was an ugly stone castle.

Crows spiraled around its turrets.

He knew where he was, but at the moment he was beyond caring.

He could hear a baby crying, but he ignored it. 

*****

Cordy was humming cheerfully to herself as she loaded a tray to with food to bring Connor up some breakfast. Sure he wouldn't actually eat it, but she thought it 

was best if they treated him as normally as possible. 

__

Maybe he'll get hungry and the smell of fresh coffee and pan cakes will lure him back into consciousness!…

A tad unlikely perhaps, but it had given the seer something to do, made her feel as though she was actually helping.

She was just about to push down the plunger on the coffee when the door bell went off.

Irritated she glanced out the kitchen door towards the front entrance.

"No one we know would come at this unholy hour of the morning."

She ignored it and turned her attention back to the plunger.

The bell when off again incessantly

.

Fred and Lorne appeared in on the stairway, "Hey guys? Could one of you see who that is for me?"

The texan nodded and quickly headed across the foyer.

Cordy plunged the coffee and smirked at it victoriously.

"Aha!"

The green demon settled himself on the counter, "That smells good sweetie."

Cordy smiled, "why yes it does! But it's for Connor.. not you.."

Lorne pouted, "fineee.. "

At that moment the phone chose to ring.

"Arg! What is with these people this morning!? Door bells.. phones! What next the fire alarms?"

Lorne patted her on the shoulder, "Deep breaths darl, I'll go get that."

Sighing, she poured Connor a generous cup, adding milk and sugar then headed out through the foyer.

Cordy resumed her cheerful humming and glanced towards the front door to ask Fred who'd been by.

The person who stood in the door way, silhouetted by the bright morning sun caused a little gasp to escape her lips, cheerful hum forgotten.

A moment later she dropped the tray.

Wesley stood in the front door, and he was making out enthusiastically with fred.

Both jumped as they heard the smash of china meeting the tiled floor.

Cordy put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at fred "Fred! What ARE you doing?!?!"

Fred blushed and glanced at the ground, "Um.. nothing! It was nothing! I was… it's just… I haven't seen wesley in a long time! Some old feelings took me by surprise…"

"Old feelings my ass missy!"

"Ahem. Ladies?"

The politely spoken Englishman returned their attention back to him, "Firstly, Fred, I appologise. That was entirely inappropriate," 

He raised a hand silencing Cordy's on coming outburst, " HOWever.. this is neither the time nor place for that conversation. I am here on much more important matters. From your reactions, shall assume you did not get my message?"

Fred frowned, "message?"

*****

Dawn smiled widely at Jared then followed him through her open door.

_I'm going home!! I'm going to see Connor again!_

She tried and failed to hold back a grin.

Jared was practically jogging in front of her.

Making sure her son was securely and comfortably held against her, she quickly followed.

She stared at the brown head in front of her, paying no attention to the monotonous passages they sped through, then a thought hit her.

"So Jared, why can't we just open the portal in my room?"

The vampire did not break his even gait.

"We could have. But if we hide where we go from, the demon will be unable to follow us straight away.

Also, he won't know that you have left this dimension until he finds the portal. That will buy us extra time if something goes wrong."

Dawn nodded, then realizing he couldn't see this, replied, "Oh. That makes sense."

She furrowed her brow, "Um, he will follow me eventually won't he Jared?"

Jared responded, "Undoubtabley. However I'm sure your precious _Connor _and all your other little friends will look after you…"

Dawn froze. The way he'd said connor's name, spitting it out as if it where rotten, shocked her.

"What are you talking about!? Don't you speak about Connor like that! You don't know him! Or my other friends!"

Jared spun around and sneered at her, "I don't know them? I know enough. .. Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

Dawn's mouth opened a little.

"No? the pathetic way in which you moan and cry over your _wonderful Connor…_"

"What is your problem!? I thought you were my friend… "

Jared rolled his eyes, "I have no need for your friendship. I simply _pity_ you. Pathetic weak mortal."

The baby awoke and gave a little sniffle at the raised voices, he would start crying in a moment.

Dawn's eyes flashed, "Don't you dare speak to me like that! As if being some loser 25yr old vampire makes you better than me! 

You're kind are a dime a dozen! I dust morons like you for light exercise on the weekends! I'm the key! I'm immortal! In the sense that I wasn't born, I've always existed…" 

She paused and rocked her child a little, " This form I'm in is only 5yrs old! And as a human I think I've achieved a hell of a lot more than you have in 5x that time…"

Dawn frowned. Then raised her chin a little. "And you already know all that. So don't get angry at me just because you're jealous of Connor. "

Jared gave a little laugh, "Jealous!? why would I be jealous of that failure?"

Dawn adjusted her baby then narrowed her eyes at the vampire.

"Because OBVIOUSLY you like me .'weak mortal' or not."

The vampire smirked, "what on earth makes you think that? Your not my type. I was never one for unwed teenage mothers.. there's something so… 

trailer park about you Dawn.."

Dawn gasped and before the vampire could react, had lifted a hand and slapped him across the face. Hard. Jared's eyes widened and he raised a hand to 

his numb face and wiped away a smear of blood.

_ shit! That HURT.. I can't remember the last time someone was able to make me bleed._

Giving her son a little kiss on the forehead, dawn looked up at the stunned man, "That's pretty rich coming from a S&M chain-welding nancy boy!….

If I'm such a loser then dead-boy, why the hell are you risking your leather-clad butt for me and my bastard child?.. " She raised her eyebrow quizzically, 

Jared was silent. "Now! Quit being such a wanker, and lets get out of here before I _really_ try and hurt you."

With that Dawn walked around the vampire and serenely continued on her way.

Jared looked at her retreated back,

_why did I just say those things? I _am_ a pathetic jealous creep…it's weird to think she's so old though.. I hadn't really given it much thought.. _

she's thousands of years old… what was it Wesley called her? In her true form she was pure energy.. not even human at all really.. and yet she seems so young and innocent.

Sighing he followed, _ at least she didn't get to upset..apart from the slapping thing that is… I'll have to apologize before we leave._

Unbeknownst to him, Dawn was upset. And angry. She was just focused on getting away from that place.

She smiled a little.

_I'll be home soon! I'll get to see Connor.._

At the mere though of him, her heart swelled with longing and desire.

She hadn't seen him in so long…she missed him terribly…

Tears pricked the back of her eyes, shaking her head she broke into a smile again.

_home!_

*****

Upstairs, in the cool darkness of his room, Connor sat up.

He stared blindly at the wall in front of him.

__

I was in Quar-tooth.. he frowned.

His mind wandered aimlessly for a minute, then his full alertness returned to him.

Dawn was taken. He had been lying here for god knows how long. 

Sadness settled back down upon him, he called out for dawn in his mind.

To his surprise, he could sense her.

__

She's happy!… but why?

He'd only felt sadness and despair radiating from her since she'd been taken.

Connor smiled.

"She's coming home."

Dawn had found a way to return to him.

The boy jumped up from the stale bed sheets.

Then stopped at the foot of his bed.

Slowly he turned.. and walked into his bathroom.

_the least I can do is take a shower for when she sees me..i must look a like a total bum.. _

He nodded to himself and rubbed his chin, effectively giving him self whisker burn.

_maybe I should shave will I'm at it.._

Humming to himself, he headed for a shower.

*****

Meanwhile.. downstairs…..

"CORDELIA! Would you please listen to me for one second!"

The woman shook her head, "No I will not you dirty great big cheater! Why can't you listen to me?! Get out! Leave fred alone!"

Fred looked from one to the other then sighed, "That's it! I'm going upstairs."

She turned and stomped up the stairs, occasionally looking over her shoulder and glaring.

Cordelia smirked, "SEE!? She DOSEN'T want to SEE you!!"

Wesley smiled and raised an eyebrow, "no cordelia, I believe she doesn't want to hear your ranting."

The seer practically turned pink with anger, "WHAT!? ME RANT! I AM NOT RANTING!!!"

Angel appeared beside wesley, "who's cordy ranting at?"

His girlfriend slapped his across the face, "I AM NOT RANTING!"

Wesley smirked.

Gunn sniggered from the weapons cabinet where he was putting away the stuff he and angel had taken

patrolling.

Angel looked at Cordy blank faced then asked in a small hurt, childish voice, "why did you hit me?"

Cordelia stomped her foot and crossed her arms, "Stop being such a baby and get wesley out of my house!"

Angel raised an eyebrow and looked over at wesley as if just noticing he was in the room,

His expression suddenly went cold, "what do you think you are doing here?"

Gunn appeared beside him and crossed his arms, "yeah, you know you ain't welcome here."

Cordy piped up, "he came him and practically jumped on Fred when she opened the door!"

Gunn's eye began to twitch and he stared very hard at wesley.

The englishman raised his arms protectively, "No No… I did not come here to steal fred away from gunn! That is merely 

an unfortunate coincidence.. that .. that happened.. I really came because.."

But gunn interrupted, "WHAT exactly, happened?"

A certain green demon looked up from where he'd been watching events unfold at the front desk, "yes. What was it that I missed?"

Wesley licked his lips nervously, he wasn't afraid for himself exactly, but he didn't want to get fred in trouble, nor did he wish the complicated 

Fred situation to overshadow the real, rather important situation he had come to warn them about.

Cordy smirked, "Yes wesley, tell gunn here how you kissed his girlfriend!."

Gunn made a strangled choking noise then leapt on wesley.

Angel and Cordy watched them fight.

Angel looked over at his girlfriend, "should I break them up?"

She shrugged, "Nah, let them get it out of their systems once and for all."

Lorne sighed dramatically, "you people. Well that was buffy on the phone before.. before you were all distracted by that little situation.."

he ducked as a dagger was thrown by gunn and embedded in the wood paneling behind him, "…nice.. ahem, anyway, she and Spike 

will be coming down her to see if Connor is awake in say, half an hour?"

Cordy frowned, "they find a wicked short cut or what?"

Lorne shook his head, "no no.. they were at a gas station, they were just going to pop in, didn't think we'd mind… but then spike made them 

stop and buy twinkies…so buffy called."

****

Connor was just going to head downstairs when his door opened.

Fred came in.

Seeing Connor awake she gave a high pitched little squeak and threw her arms around him.

"Oh my god! Connor!! Are you all right!? We were all so worried!"

Slightly uncomfortable, Connor patted her back awkwardly, "Er.. thanks Fred.. I'm feeling totally normal.."

"Oh I'm so glad you're okay!"

To Connor's surprise she started to cry.

"Um.. fred? Are you alright?"

She sniffled, "oh.. I'm sorry!.. it's just.. just.."

"just what?"

"oh.. you've enough problems.. I don't want to trouble you."

Extracting herself Fred sat on the edge of his bed.

"No no.. what is it?"

"it's Wesley. He's downstairs."

"wesley? Are you still in love with him or something?"

the texan shook her head softly, "no no…" she paused and sniffed, "yyeesss!!!! I still love him!.. but I l-love Charles as well!.. I'm s-so confused Connor!"

Connor sighed and sat down next to her, "well… I doubt I'm the best person to take advice off…being a teenager and all.. but hey!

I do know _you_ fred.. so maybe I can help you get some sort of a perspective ..maybe.."

Fred sniffled, "thanks Connor."

*****

Jared carefully locked the doors to the tower room behind Dawn.

The room they were in was all bare stone and very small, with a tiny balcony opening off an odd looking window. The roof had fallen in at some stage, and the 

floor was littered with broken tiles and rotten beams.

Dawn took all this in in a moment, "Cozy."

Jared grunted.

He pulled a ragged piece of lined A4 paper out of his pocket and studied it earnestly.

The key meanwhile hummed softly to her baby and went to look at the view.

She sighed, "same old same old…jagged cliffs…pounding surf….pooh-y smell… thank god we're getting out of this hellhole." 

She turned back to Jared who was murmuring something under his breath.

"so…. What's the drill?"

He ignored her for a minute then replied, referring to the paper, "Well… we have to copy out this particular symbol here….and then…some incantation…

oh, then your blood…and bob's your uncle!"

Dawn nodded, "right. Sounds simple enough. How come no one else knows about this?"

"Well… I think Wesley figured out when he was studying to be a watcher.. years ago. He was looking into the properties of this pendant…

It's a family heirloom.. Mind you, the original ceremony he devised was waayy more complicated.. Anyway, he didn't televise his findings."

Dawn nodded, "It's so weird that Wesley's little brother is a vampire with a bondage fetish…"

Jared raised one eyebrow.

Dawn continued, "So shall we?"

"well… um.. before we do, I should warn you.. This hasn't been done before okay? I doubt it will work exactly as we plan.."

"But it will work right?"

"well, yeah. What I'm saying is that, we should take our time, or should I say take about 45mins.. which is how long we have till someone misses us."

Dawn nodded, "Right. Just one thing though?"

"Yeah?"

"erm.. how do we specify _where_ on earth we pop up?"

"ahhh…" Jared scanned his notes, "Wesley said our best bet would be to focus on the erm, 'time and space' we wanted to appear in."

"oh right.. just like thing of our house or something?"

"yes, just focus very clearly."

"Okay! That's that then! "

Jared nodded and pulled a piece of chalk out of one of his many zippered pockets.

"Shall we?"

*****

Wesley rolled across the front desk of the hyperion.

Falling to the ground behind the desk he clutched a stitch in his side.

Panting he tried in vain to catch his breath.

"Gunn! Is this really necessary?! I didn't come here to have some caveman fight to the death over Fred!!"

He heard the other man snigger, "Oh yeah?! Why else you come over here? Gonna kidnap someone's baby?"

Wesley let out a low growl and stood up suddenly, crossing his arms. "Look are you going to listen to what I have to say or not? Simple question Gunn."

Before said simple question could be answered however, the door bell rang for the second time that day.

Cordelia sighed and headed over, disappointed by the interruption of the entertainment.

An irritated voice came in through the closed door, "Open the bloody door already!! You want me to burn to death out here?!"

Angel muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like, 'if only..' and then Spike burst in.

He ran into the dark and promptly threw his beloved trenchcoat onto the floor and began jumping on it, which was partially on fire.

Buffy followed him in and brushed a bit off soot of her boyfriend's hair.

"What the bloody hell took so long! My favourite jacket's ruined!" Spike empathized his point by poking his finger through a hole.

"There there babe. You can always get a new one."

"No I can't! this one was special.. had it for years…"

Wesley coughed, "touching as Spike's love of his jacket is, I REALLY have to tell you people something!"

Angel sighed, "I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY! And if gunn wasn't beating you up right now, I would! Gunn, please, continue."

Before gunn had the chance to 'continue' however, wesley raised his arms slightly, "Fine. You don't want to hear what I have to say, I'll show myself out. 

When later in you realise you're mistake…I just hope…" he sighed as he headed out the front door, "that no one dies."

But attention had turned to Spike, and no one heard the last part.

*****

****

AN: only one more chappy me thinks!

Ps. There were probably typo's galore up there

.. sorry.. however.. I intend to revise this whole 

story later.. so… yeah.. reviews are nice!


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